In my ministry through the years I've met more than my share of promisors, and believed their promises ... I'm not looking for promises anymore but performance. May I meet more Christian performers!
My word is the foundation stone of my character as your word, as a believer, is the foundation stone of your character.
I learned early in life, a lesson from my non-believing father.
He was from Germany. He was aristocracy. He was a German Baron. He was a man! The word "von" is a title; and in a name, means aristocracy. He was trained as a youth to be a "gentleman."
One day I remember him complaining at having to sign for something in the bank. "Why can't they simply take my word for it?," he asked me. "In Germany we had a gentleman's agreement, we would give our word and shake hands on it. If it was ten dollars or fifty thousand dollars, it was the same. Our word was our word!"
I never forgot that.
He was not a Christian, but he was radical about his word. I appreciated that. He had an integrity about him.
He didn't make excuses, because he didn't have to ... he kept his word. He taught me that reasons were OK ... but excuses were unacceptable!
We would assume that if some in the secular world held such high standards, why those of us calling ourselves Christians wouldn't hold ourselves to the same or higher standards.
As the Scripture says; "Let your yes be yes and your no be no." Simple as that! (But then again, that's only Scripture.)
Solution? Think before putting mouth in gear!
Disappointments come as the result of unrealistic expectations. It's a shame that too often we find ourselves disappointed by believing our brother's promises.
"Let your yes be yes and your no be no!" Matt 5:37
