“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ But I say to you, take no oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God, nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you take an oath by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. But make sure your statement is, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil origin.”
What kind of promises have made recently? Maybe you told your child you would play with him or her or told your spouse you would have a date night soon. These are everyday vows, but we also make more weighty vows like those at a baby dedication or wedding. These promises feel like they carry more weight and are more important to keep than the small promises we make along the way. Jesus’s words in this passage today remind us everything we say is serious to Him. Our words have serious implications for our integrity and the way we reflect Him.
The small promises we keep with our children are connected to our bigger promises and commitments to them. Doing what we say is connected to faithfulness to our spouse. When we don’t keep our word, we do not reflect our heavenly Father, who always keeps His covenant to His people. Second Corinthians 1:20 says, “For as many as the promises of God are, in Him they are yes; therefore through Him also is our Amen to the glory of God through us.” God has kept every promise. As followers of Christ, we are called now to reflect Him and honor His name as we keep our word to others too.
- What are some small promises you broken that didn’t seem like a big deal?
- Why is it important that God’s people be people of their word in general?
- Pray and ask God to help you keep your commitments to Him and to those around you.
