Monday June 11 2012:
Ecclesiastes 5:5 “It is
better to say nothing than to promise something you don’t follow through on.”
The Bible is a wealth of
common sense with kernels of wisdom as we can see in this verse. We need to
heed the wisdom transferred here.
I had an Aunt who always made
wonderful promises to our seven-year-old daughter. She promised her outings, jewelery and
special times, all of which never transpired.
As a result, our daughter grew to mistrust this person because it became
evident the promises were empty and meaningless.
I have often heard parents
promise children wonderful things, sometimes to elicit a desired behavior, that
were not even considered after the initial words were uttered. This kind of discipline models deceitfulness. Unless a promise is kept, it is useless and
children soon discover the truth about that person.
Solomon warns us not to do
this! Jesus says our “yes” should be yes
and our “no” should be no! He even says
by our adding a promise to our word shows something is wrong. (Matthew 5:37) We often make a mockery of this instruction
when we fail to stand by our word.
Let us encourage each other
to use caution when we speak so we don’t mislead others into disappointments by
our words.
Prayer for today: Dear Lord, Thank you for not ever making
empty promises. Your word is as true today as it was when it
was inspired thousands of years ago.
Forgive me for the times I have flippantly made a promise I could not
keep. Help me ,Lord, to think before I
make idle promises. Help me become aware
that my word should be one that can be relied upon, always. Let my “yes” be yes and my “no” be no and
help me refrain from compromising on my word in the eyes of you or others.
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