Daily Devotional for October 26, 2016

Matthew 5:23-27
“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.

Almost every day, there is a post on Facebook from someone asking others for prayer for this person or that situation. A lot of people comment and say that they are praying – or will pray.  I will tell you, I’m not always one of them…and if/when I do write this, I stop RIGHT THEN and offer a prayer.  These verses from Matthew 5 explains why I do this.

I will be the first to say that there have been plenty of times when I’ve said…”You’re in my thoughts and prayers”…and I got busy and that person or situation totally left my conscious thoughts.  Surely you have noted that you would pray for someone, and days later when they posted on Facebook that… “I’m okay – thanks for your prayers,” you went…“Oh, geez…I never even mentioned them to God!”

I’m just being honest…and noting that Jesus tells us not embellish our talk or make promises we can’t – or won’t – keep…especially when these involve our Christian faith and witness. We should not swear to emphasize our points. We should not “promise on a stack of Bibles” or say, “As God is my witness.”  We should just simply say, “Yes” or “No!”  Our conduct must speak for itself.  People ought to feel confident that when we say we will do something…it will be done.  They should know that our word is our bond…that we are dependable and trustworthy, with no “sworn emphasis” necessary.

And while I’m at it…we need to ditch the phrase “OMG.”  This is also a “swear” of sorts…and it does not become us as Christians – or honor God. This phrase demeans and lessens Him…and in my opinion, it needs to go!  When I was in my teens and twenties, nobody in my circle would have dared to mention God in this context.  Now it is commonplace, and I believe we have reduced God by making him a common “swear word.”

Prayerfully consider cutting this phrase from your vocabulary. The English language is filled with plenty of demonstrative phrases to express your excitement and/or appall over any given situation.  I am praying that we will not degrade our relationship with our Heavenly Father by using His name as a swear word of any kind…even this one!

People are watching – and listening!  They know us - and the “fruit” we bear for Jesus – by how we conduct ourselves and what comes out of our mouth.  Let them see confidence in God’s promises…faith that Jesus changed us into new creatures who rely wholly on Him for everything.  Let your words be good…and good enough – without enhancing them with oaths, swears, and “spiritual promises” you can’t or won’t keep.  It’s time for us to be the “real deal” for Jesus each and every day – in ways great and small.  And now is the time for us to begin.  Are you with me?

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for August 22, 2016

James 5:12
And since you know that he cares, let your language show it. Don’t add words like “I swear to God” to your own words. Don’t show your impatience by concocting oaths to hurry up God. Just say yes or no. Just say what is true. That way, your language can’t be used against you.

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.

When I was in college, I had the good fortune to land in Francis Irby Gwaltney’s freshman English Composition class.  I had never written so much as a “theme” in high school, and Mr. Gwaltney – an author and screenwriter – required one written essay from us each week.  He assigned the title on Monday, and we turned in our 250-word commentary on Friday.  The following week, he critiqued what we had written and gave us pointers…along with tons of colorful stories and recollections of his screenwriting days in Hollywood…his service in WWII…and his teenage years in Charleston, Arkansas, where he grew up with his good friend, [Arkansas Senator and Governor] Dale Bumpers.  Both men are gone now…but their legacies live on in our hearts and minds…thanks in large part to the weeks I spent under Mr. Gwaltney’s tutelage.

Mr. Gwaltney was so kind to me, and I loved him dearly…but he was a tough instructor.  He counted off a half grade point for a misspelled word…and an equal amount if we used the word “very.”  It was his opinion that this word was completely unnecessary…that adding it to another adjective or an adverb was overkill…even redundancy.  I have to admit that I use this word quite often now…but it took me years to be able to do so without hearing his voice ringing…and almost wincing with the anticipation of a lower grade!

When I first studied James 5:12, I was taken aback as I considered how often we swear an oath.  Much like the word “very,” we pepper our conversation with “I swears” to drive home our point.  We claim…”I swear on a stack of Bibles that XYZ happened”…or “I swear to you he really said ABC”…or as James puts it in this translation, “I swear to God, such and such is true.”  I was struck by James’ suggestion that this shows our impatience with God…that to add a “swear” indicates that what we are saying cannot stand on its own merit - and needs the “endorsement” of God to give it credence and substance.

We are called to speak the truth…and stand by our comments and claims.  We are commanded to be the “real deal” for Jesus…and to live in such a way that others know that they can trust what we say is endorsed by God – without our adding an oath.  Just as the word “very” is unnecessary, an oath does nothing to truly substantiate our words.  Mr. Gwaltney insisted that the use of the word “very” implied that we lacked confidence in our statement…and felt we should bolster it with this unwarranted descriptive.  It seems to me that James is saying the same thing to us about adding oaths to our language.

The next time you start to “swear,” remember James 5:12.  Let your word be your bond…pure and simple.  Honor God by how you demonstrate your faith…and how you treat others.  Choose your words wisely, and let others see Jesus in your daily living.  Fully embrace the truth that no further emphasis – especially a swear – is ever needed.

©2016 Debbie Robus

Daily Devotional for September 19, 2012

James 5:12
And since you know that he cares, let your language show it. Don’t add words like “I swear to God” to your own words. Don’t show your impatience by concocting oaths to hurry up God. Just say yes or no. Just say what is true. That way, your language can’t be used against you.

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.

We’ve all heard the jokes about little kids who asked their mom or dad, “Where did I come from?” and the parent nervously delivered an explanation about reproduction and how babies are born – only to have the child follow with, “Well, Sarah said she came from Toledo, and I just wondered where I came from.” Sometimes, we give too much information!

By the same token, we’ve all heard someone say, “But you swore this wouldn’t happen,” or “You swore you’d never do that!” By adding to our words, we often set up a scenario for others to use them against us. I had never really thought much about the phrase “I swear” until I read this passage in this particular translation. But really, what are we doing when we add these words to a sentence? Are we giving our claim more credence? Do we feel that what we have said or committed to is not enough on its own and needs the bolster of an oath? Did it ever occur to any of us that this indicates impatience or an effort to “hurry up God?”

It is no secret that we need to be mindful of our words as much as our deeds. But how many of us have really considered that our language indicates how much we trust God’s care for us? Who among us has thoroughly pondered the implications of what we say on a regular basis? Do we weigh our words carefully? Do we think at all about how what we say might come back to trouble us at some point? Do we give consideration to who we know is listening… and who is listening that we may not realize?

We should carefully choose our comments and our actions. I have heard more than one person say, “If you wouldn’t say it in front of Mom or Grandma, don’t say it.” Unfortunately, there are a few moms and grandmas who have some pretty colorful language of their own…but you get the picture. Think of it this way…would you say these things in front of a group at your church? How would you feel if someone said these things to you? Does it make the promise or claim of anyone more believable and trustworthy if they add the words, “I swear!” or some off-color expletives to them for emphasis?

There is a lot of power in James 5:12. Please read this passage carefully, and apply it to your own language. Let your “yes” and “no” stand for themselves. You know that God cares for you… but can others tell it from your words and actions? Isn’t it time they did?

©2012 Debbie Robus