Keep Your Word

Matthew 5:33-37 (NIV)  “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath 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. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

Jesus put a lot of emphasis on the importance of us being people of our word and keeping the promises that we make to people, ourselves and to God.

Many times in life we make what I will call “little commitments.” Like ones we will make to ourselves. Like:

“I’m going to start exercising more because I am not healthy, or I am going to start spending more time in prayer because I need to strengthen my faith, or I am going to start spending more time with my family so I can leave a better legacy, and many things like that.

The reason I called them “little commitments” is because there are easily not kept, because no body knows about them but us.

Or we will make larger commitments to each other like:

“I’ll pay you back the money you are lending me,, or I’ll be at your game to support you, or I will help serve in your ministry, or I will be praying for you.” And on and on our commitments go.

We are all guilty of falling through with our promises but that doesn’t make it okay.

God really wants us to be people of our word. It’s is so important to Him, that His word says this:

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 (NLT) When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it.

That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t want us to make commitments. God loves when we make commitments and enter into covenants. Our entire existence is based around God’s desire for us to be in covenant with Him.

But He is so adamant that we follow through and be true to our commitments.

Vince Lombardi said this: “ The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.”

Maybe you find your self at the beginning of this year, having commitments you have made, not yet fulfilled.

Finish strong this year and do what you said you would do! There is still time!

Be some body who keeps your word!