Matthew 5:33-37 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”
Have you ever had to back out of a much-anticipated, planned event because something else came up that you felt forced to do?
That happened to me a number of times when I worked at a law firm. A partner would walk into my office shortly before noon and announce that he had a project that needed to be completed by 1:00. I’d pick up the phone and cancel my lunch plans. And I hated it.
The frustration I felt flowed from a deep desire to deliver on my promises. To be a woman of my word–a woman of integrity.
Although the broken lunch promises weigh heavy on my heart, I think the broken promises that Jesus is talking about are the ones that are false from the start. The ones where I say “yes” and have no intention of following through, the ones where I say “yes” for the sake of my appearance, and the ones where I say “yes” because I feel like a “no” answer would hurt the person’s feelings.
I tend to forget that God witnesses every word I speak, including all those false promises. And while I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, it is still wrong to politely accept an invitation that I know I won’t follow through with. I fail to honor God when I’m untruthful.
That same tendency arises in my spiritual life. How many times have I asked for forgiveness for a sin and promised not to commit it again only to be back on my knees asking for forgiveness for the same sin a few days later? How many times have I promised the Lord that I would sacrifice time, money, or sleep – and not delivered on my promise?
In order to be a woman of my word, I need to ask God to show me how to let my yes be yes and my no be no. With His guidance, I can make wise, truth-based choices that honor Him.
Father God, please help me to be a woman of my word and a woman of truth. Give me the courage to speak the truth even when it seems difficult. Above all, help me to glorify and honor You.
Amen.
Thanks, Alyssa! You are right. Sometimes, it’s easier to say what we think others want to hear than to speak the truth. But it is never okay to tell a lie on purpose, no matter how noble our motives may seem. Thanks for a great reminder!
I have a hard time with this, too. There is no substitute for the kind of friend who we can depend on to be honest at all times. I want to be that kind of person. Always speaking the truth… in love… well, it is that second part I especially need help with! Thanks, Alyssa, for a great post!