Simple Integrity. Yes or No.

 

 

³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to those who lived long ago: Don’t make a false solemn pledge, but you should follow through on what you have pledged to the Lord. ³⁴ But I say to you that you must not pledge at all. You must not pledge by heaven, because it’s God’s throne. ³⁵ You must not pledge by the earth, because it’s God’s footstool. You must not pledge by Jerusalem, because it’s the city of the great king. ³⁶ And you must not pledge by your head, because you can’t turn one hair white or black. ³⁷ Let your yes mean yes, and your no mean no. Anything more than this comes from the evil one.   – Matthew 5: 33-37

I give you my word.   Is that enough?  Do I do what I say I’m going to do?  It’s an issue of integrity.  Am I true to my word?  With my family?  With friends?  At work?  With strangers?  Short of making a covenant, like getting married, why would I need to make an oath of some sort for you to rely on my word?  If you can’t rely on what someone says, do you trust them more when they “promise” to do something?

Today’s challenge from Jesus from Matthew 5 has me looking inward.

Where am I true to my word?  Is there anywhere in my life I need to do better at keeping my word.  It’s an issue of integrity.  Is my simple “yes” or “no” so trustworthy that it could be taken as a promise without making a pledge?

Prayer:  Lord, you call us to be honest and trustworthy.  Help me to simply let my “yes” mean “yes” and my “no” mean “no” without having to make an kind of extra pledge to follow through.  Amen.