Matthew 5:33-37
"And don't say anything you don't mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, 'I'll pray for you,' and never doing it, or saying, 'God be with you,' and not meaning it. You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say 'yes' and 'no.' When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I tried a few years ago to read the whole Bible in one year by following a study guide… a passage from both the Old and New Testaments, Psalms and Proverbs each day. I made it quite a few months before “life” got in the way and I fell short. I am determined once again to do this… and after nearly a month, I am finding that I actually look forward to this time each day and seeing what God will reveal to me through His word.
One of the neatest things about this study is discovering how verses in these various sections of the Bible work together. The passage in the Old Testament is often referenced in some way in the Psalms or the New Testament scriptures. And so it was when I read in recent days about Moses confronting Pharaoh (at God’s instruction) and asking him to release the Israelites so that they could move from Egypt. Moses did several things to prove to Pharaoh that this was God’s doing, not his own. And each time, Pharaoh would say, “Okay… you can go.” And then he would turn right around and change his mind.
With God’s power, Moses and his brother Aaron turned walking sticks into snakes, brought plagues of gnats, frogs, and flies upon the land. They turned all of the water in the Nile and every river, pond, stream – even the water in the pots and pans in the houses – into blood. After several of these demonstrations, Pharaoh could not deny that God was behind them, but still his heart was hardened. Pharaoh’s word was no good. He made promises and did not keep them. And in the end, he and his people suffered for this.
In Matthew 5, Jesus is reminding us that our words are important. When we tell someone we are going to do something – it matters. Whether you promise to pick someone up and give them a ride and then never show or you say, “I’ll pray for you,” and never do so… your words matter. When you tell someone you’ll call them tomorrow, call them. When you say, “Yes, I’ll help you move,” you had better show up on moving day! When you tell someone you are coming for dinner, be there… and be on time! When you tell someone, “I will do this for you for such-and-such price” – don’t change the amount later. When you borrow something and promise to pay back the lender, be sure you do just that! When you promise to do something for someone else, don’t let them down – do the job, and do it to the best of your ability.
More importantly, do not fall short on your promises to God. When you tell Him you are ready to serve, do what He asks. Let your “Yes” be “Yes” and your “No” be “No” – as Jesus says in Matthew 5. If you are asked to do something or make a commitment you know you cannot honor, it’s better to tell the person who is asking, “No” than to fail to come through on the promise. There really are situations where the appropriate response is a “No” or to say, “I’m sorry, but I just cannot do this” or “I am simply unable to serve at this time.”
Our words and commitments do have value – and consequences. We know we can count on God to keep His word to us… can He count on us to do the same?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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