The new year is now less than 1 week away. It’s always exciting to me to see the new year come in. My wife and I have a little tradition we do every year. We find a movie and watch it up to about 10 minutes before the new year. My wife goes and prepares our treat while I switch channels on the TV to find our favorite network that shows the ball dropping. By the time I get the channel switched, she is walking in with shrimp and champagne.At the stroke of midnight, we pour the champagne, thank the Lord for the past year, and ask for guidance for the new year. We drink our champagne, share our first kiss of the year, and continue watching the rest of the movie, devouring the shrimp.Some Christians say we sin by drinking champagne. Because it is technically alcohol, in some churches it’s taught that drinking any kind of alcohol is wrong.I’m not going to say if it’s wrong or not. I believe that is a personal choice that you have to make on your own, based on your personal convictions, and mostly whether the Holy Spirit convicts you or not.I do believe drinking to get drunk is wrong. Jesus even talks about that in the Bible.Other than drinking to get drunk, how you view drinking alcohol and your walk with God should be your guide.There is much to think about on this topic.The biggest thing to understand is, by consuming alcohol, are you doing it in front of somebody who could be a stumbling block? (An unbeliever, new believer, or even someone in your congregation who is totally against it.) Can you limit yourself so that you don’t become drunk? (Some people cannot handle alcohol without becoming drunk.) Are you doing it in front of your children? (You are the ones who set the example in your home.)As with all things, you must handle this with discernment.The Bible doesn’t say yes or no to drinking alcohol. I know what some pastors would say to this, and they will show me all kinds of scriptures to prove their point, but when you actually get into the scriptures about alcohol, other than drinking to get drunk, you can make an argument about it either way.This is why I say it’s a personal choice. If God convicts you about drinking alcohol, then it’s wrong for you to do so. If there is no such conviction, and as long as you are not hurting someone else’s walk with God, then I don’t see it as a sin.Whether you choose to consume it or not should be left between you and God.For me, bringing in the new year with champagne is all the alcohol I consume for the year. Mostly because of my health issues, alcohol is not good for me. Also, there are always much better things to drink than alcohol. I am not hung up on a Christian who does have a glass of wine or a bottle/can of beer every now and then. That’s their choice, not mine to make.You are the only one who can make that choice. You are the one who will have to answer to God.I had a friend’s mom who always told my friend when we went places, “Make wise choices.”So I will offer that to you: “Make a wise choice.”May God’s peace always abide in you.