HOW GOOD IS YOUR WORD? ARE YOU TRUSTWORTHY?

“When a man makes a vow to the Lord
or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge,
he must not break his word but must do everything he said.”
Numbers 30:2

Although today a Christian is not under responsibility to fulfill the ceremonial law,
the New Testament emphasis on the moral law is strong.
We may not make vows as is referenced in Numbers 30:2,
but we are to be truthful people.
Moses commanded the Israelites that a man
“must not break his word but must do everything he said.”

In the course of a year, a person makes many more “vows” than is probably realized.
For example, each credit card slip we sign is a vow.
Don’t sign unless you intend to pay.
A tax form will ask if the answers given were truthful.
Don’t sign unless they were.
A code of conduct may be included in the regulations for a student or employer.
Don’t sign unless you plan to live by it.

Then there are the other slips…not of paper, but of tongue.
“I’ll get back to you about that.”
“The check is in the mail.”
“We will get together for a meal while you’re in town.”

Jesus said,
“Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’, and your ‘No’, ‘No’;
anything beyond this comes from the evil one
(Matthew 5:37).

How good is your word?  And are you as good as your word?

Think before you speak.
Ask yourself, “Will I do what I am about to say?”
Keep your word.
Do you make promises that you do not fulfill?
If we follow what Jesus said in Matthew 5:37,
then we are obligated to follow through on all promises.
That is the kind of action that proves to others that our faith is real.
If others feel that they cannot trust our promises,
then they may well assume that our faith is not trustworthy either.