Listen

Again you have heard that it was said to those who lived long ago: Don’t make a false solemn pledge, but you should follow through on what you have pledged to the Lord. But I say to you that you must not pledge at all. You must not pledge by heaven, because it’s God’s throne. You must not pledge by the earth, because it’s God’s footstool. You must not pledge by Jerusalem, because it’s the city of the great king. And you must not pledge by your head, because you can’t turn one hair white or black. Let your yes mean yes, and your no mean no. Anything more than this comes from the evil one.

Matthew 5:33-37

Think

“And don’t say anything you don’t mean… You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it.” 

Matthew 5:33-34 (THE MESSAGE)

As children, we wrapped our pinkies together and made everlasting promises of friendship. Today, we swear we’ll never tell our friend’s secret before we even know what it is, and make promises to keep in touch over breaks knowing that we plan to stay in bed.

The older we get, the more promises (or pledges) we make, the more costly the impact when we don’t follow through. People count on us to mean what we say. Too often, we carelessly give our word to things we never intend to do.

Again Jesus says, “The words you say matter. When you speak, mean it.” Take care that even the good and kind words you speak are words you intend to bring to life.

Emily Holladay

Pray

Jesus, Word made flesh, make my words mean something today. Guide me to speak only the words that shine your light into the lives of my neighbors. Amen.

Go

Go. Take the next step, confident that the One who set the stakes high walks the road with you. Do not lose sight of what is good.

“And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Micah 6:8 (NRSV)