Keeping Your Word by Martin Wiles

Series: Passing the Ethics Test

Bundles of paperwork…bucoodles of signatures…all necessities of modern-day purchases...all compulsory items to ensure I honor my word.

My wife and I were down to our last pennies. We had one part-time job between us, and it wasn’t paying the bills. Creditors were calling, and debts were mounting. So we did the only thing we knew to do…prayed and ferried the title to the one thing we actually owned to a loan agency.

We nestled helplessly before the lending agent and told him our dilemma. He entered the facts into his computer, hit print, and retrieved a manuscript requiring our signatures. All to ensure we kept our promise-even though they obviously had the money and we evidently had the truck.

Living in a sinful society often makes promises necessary, but ultimately we should be as good as our word. Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD…Those who…keep their promises even when it hurts (Psalm 15:1, 4 NLT).

Keeping our word eliminates the necessity of saying “I promise.” Jesus warned his peers against flippant use of sacred language and careless vows. A simple “Yes, I will,” or “No, I won’t” is sufficient (Matthew 5:37 NLT). No signature. Not even a handshake.

Keeping our word honors God who also keeps his word to us. How gravely uncertain our lives would be if God’s word was untrustworthy. Being true to our word paints an accurate picture of him to others. No one enjoys fraternizing with unreliable individuals-or deities.

Faithfulness to our word also builds trust which ensures healthy relationships. Associations with little or no trust are doomed to fail. Trust is the building block for stability and endurance in our relationship with God and others.

Are you a person of your word or someone others question whether they can trust? Be as good as your word.

Prayer: Thank You Father for being as good as Your word. We trust Your promises and build our relationship with You on the foundation of Your faithfulness.

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