Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Self-control”
Our Bible verse for today: “Then Moses summoned the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.” Numbers 30:1-2 (NLT)
Our thought for today: “Keep your word.”
Not long ago a politician was being interviewed on national television. The reporter challenged this person regarding some of the outrageous campaign promises the candidate had been making. The reporter asked the candidate if he really expected to be able to follow-through on the things he had been promising if he were to be elected.
In a somewhat surprising bit of candor and transparency for a politician, this candidate admitted that his promises may or may not be kept. He said that as far as he was concerned everything is negotiable and that when it comes right down to it, he might or might not stick to his promises – we would just have to wait and see.
While it’s true that politics is the art of compromise, and that in a democracy like ours the only way any legislation wins approval is through the give-and-take of negotiation, it’s also true that we expect our leaders to have foundational principles upon which they base their promises – principles that are so important that they won’t compromise on them. And, we expect people to keep their word.
In generations past a popular motto commonly held by men and women of integrity was “My word is my bond.” It meant that “I am a man (or woman) of my word. If I give my word, I keep it.” Of course written contracts existed and were used too, but they were much less necessary than they are in our day.
Today we’re cursed with the malady of “situational ethics”. It means that a person’s ethical conduct varies from situation to situation depending on what’s in it for them. It’s the concept of situational ethics which has led us to the point where people so frequently and so easily break their promises and don’t keep their word – and apparently aren’t bothered by it in the least.
In the Bible we’re taught to be men and women of our word. God keeps His word to us and He expects us to keep our word to Him, and to others. Your word needs to be your bond. That’s what Moses meant in Numbers 30:1-2 when he instructed the people to “do exactly what you say you will do.”
Jesus addressed this too in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:37 He told us, “Simply let your “Yes” be “Yes”, and your “No”, “No”; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” In other words, “Say what you mean, mean what you say, and let the chips fall where they may.” The Apostle James gave us this exact same counsel in James 5:12.
As the people of God we have to have the self-control to limit our words to what is actually true, and the character and integrity to keep the promises we make. I encourage you to be a man or woman of your word. Let your word be your bond.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 