Sunday Reading: Matthew 5 33-37
Key Verse: Matthew 5 37
37 But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no. For whatever is more than these comes from evil.
Key Verse: Matthew 5 37
37 But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no. For whatever is more than these comes from evil.
Devotion:
How many times have you broken a promise? How many times have you sworn to do something but found out that you could not? How many times have you agreed to do something but could not? We have all been there at some stage or another where we have for all intents and purposes given our word that we will do something but have found for some reason or another that we could not possibly achieve it – even though we tries our very best. What it boils down to is that we have told a lie, even though we have tried our very best not to. Yes, the situation was outside of your control, but it still boils down to you breaking a promise – a lie.
How many times have you broken a promise? How many times have you sworn to do something but found out that you could not? How many times have you agreed to do something but could not? We have all been there at some stage or another where we have for all intents and purposes given our word that we will do something but have found for some reason or another that we could not possibly achieve it – even though we tries our very best. What it boils down to is that we have told a lie, even though we have tried our very best not to. Yes, the situation was outside of your control, but it still boils down to you breaking a promise – a lie.
Jesus here was trying to make sure that people would stop having to lie because of situations outside of their control. We have come to realise that we cannot fully trust some people because we know what they are capable of (or not) and we know that what they promise is going to be outside of their control. And yet we are still willing to allow ourselves to get into those situations as well. A simple “yes I will try my very best to…” would be the best way out… So long as you do try your very best!
If you are absolutely sure that you will be able to carry out your task, then promising to do so is legitimate. But making absolutely sure that you do not break that promise should then be paramount. One of the Ten Commandments is that we should not lie (Exodus 20 16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour). It is there is the “top ten” for a reason – we need to be able to depend totally upon one another and upon what is said between us. How else can people learn about the truth unless we tell the truth in everything we say? If we base our faith on the truth, people need to know that we are going to live up to that truth as well!
Points to Ponder:
How often have you been ‘forced’ to lie?
Aren’t you glad Christ has never lied?
How often have you been ‘forced’ to lie?
Aren’t you glad Christ has never lied?