I came to realize the severity of how crucial this was to having integrity when I fell victim to my own flaws.
I have been known to be late. In fact you can almost always bet on it and if there is one thing you can definitely count on , it's me being late.
That is another post for another time, but I would rather be infamous for being late than be known for not keeping my word.
I have struggled with keeping my word before and my excuse most of the time is that I forget which is true, just not excusable.
I would have to say that most of the time God gets my attention by allowing me to see what it feels like to be on the receiving end of what He wants to change in me and recently I have gotten quite a dose of empty promises and word breaking.
I understand that for most people their intentions are sincere but I have come to realize that it doesn't matter who you are ,where you come from or whether your rich or poor , Your word has value. It says something about who you are . It tells me whether or not I can trust you.
I have to take keeping my word to heart because I know how seriously I take it when someone doesn't keep their word to me. I don't care if you are a billionaire, if your not a person of your word I know you are not dependable or trustworthy. If you don't have a dime to your name but you never fail to keep your word than you are more valuable to me than all the riches in the world.
God has entrusted my husband and myself to play a small part in a homeless ministry that takes place in our backyard.
I cannot even begin to tell you how imperative it is to this community of people we do life with, for us to keep our word.
They are used to being lied to, brushed off and forgotten by the world. When it comes to churches and church people who make them promises they can't or won't keep, than Houston ,we have a very serious problem!
I don't think we realize what we are doing when we don't keep our word to those we minister to and disciple. There is already an expectation ,when you say you are a christian, that they assume you can be trusted and then when we don't come through and we don't full fill our commitment it tells them something about us.
It tells them they can't count on us. It gives the enemy an opportunity to use that against us to destroy our character and create division.
The homeless don't trust each other and they have a hard time trusting the church for numerous reasons so when Christians break there word it breaks something in those individuals because they believe they are suppose to be able to trust us.
People were not designed to be perfect and everyone falls short but this is an area where we can't afford it.
God doesn't just ask us to keep our word, He expects it. Seriously consider the consequences of your actions and the effects it will have on others before you make commitments. It matters!
"But keeping your word is more than just not lying. Keeping your word has more to do with honouring what you said you were going to do, or being faithful to the TRUTH of what you have said. With it goes a determination and tenacity not to deviate from the target act or statement--even if it means a personal cost or hardship in fulfilling the promise or ensuring the TRUTH of the statement." - S. Kroeger
Numbers 30:1-2
Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: "This is what the LORD commands: 2 When a man makes a vowto the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.
James 5:12
Above all, my brothers, do not swear- not by heaven or by earth or by anything else . Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned
