Are you a reliable and trustworthy person? Can people count on you that when you give a promise, you will surely keep it? Do people see you as a person of integrity? In this post, let me share with you why we must keep our word.

I remember when my wife tried to buy something on the Internet. Since I’m the man of the house and our city at that time was in lockdown due to the pandemic, I agreed to meet the online seller.

The problem was that the seller was late — not just 5 minutes, 10 minutes, but 30 minutes!

Our agreement was as clear as the sign. We would meet at 4 pm and not 4:30 pm.

At that time, I felt cheated because I felt I was robbed of my time — precious time that I could have used for other more productive things.

However, that’s not my main point today.

Did you know that in some instances in our lives, we are like the online seller? Yes, that’s right.

All of us have made promises and broken them. While this is a common problem in most people, it shouldn’t be in us.

You know why?

Because we are Christians and we are not supposed to live under the saying, “Promises are made to be broken.”

Yahshua or Jesus Christ made a sobering warning to those people who don’t keep their words:

“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37). 

What Christ was pointing out is that when we say something, it must be true. When we make a promise, it must be kept. 

Promises are not meant to be taken lightly. It is a serious commitment that should be followed through.

How many times have you said that you will be there at 8 am, but you arrived at 9 am? 

How many times have you said that you will start a project and yet, until now, you haven’t started it yet?

How many times have you promised to God that you will never do a certain sin anymore and yet, here you are committing the same sin that you promised never to do again?

How many times have you told your wife that you will take out the trash, fix the creaking door, clean the garage, and other stuff only to find yourself not doing any of those?

No doubt, friends, we have all been guilty of making and breaking a promise or commitment. 

Yahshua was saying that we must keep our word. 

If you said that you will be there at 8 am, then be there at 8 am. If you’re going to say that you will start and finish a project, then start and finish the project. 

If you’re going to say that you’ll do better in following God’s commandments, then do better in following God’s commandments.

Why? 

Because whatever is more than these is from the evil one. 

Who is the evil one? Satan, like what we read in John 8:44, is called the father of lies and we know that people who are serial liars can’t be in God’s Kingdom.

So, will you keep your word?