Biblical scholar Howard Hendricks once told his son Bob, “Be so dependable that if you say you will be somewhere and don’t show up, they send flowers.”
Are you thought of as reliable? Are the commitments that you make as good as done? If you don’t fulfill a vow to be somewhere… will those you’ve made a promise to think a bad thing has happened? If this doesn’t sound like you… I’ve got good news: today is a new day. Making our word our bond requires a steadfast commitment. Scripture echoes the importance of being good on our words in Matthew 5:37. It says, “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.” If you’re given the opportunity to make a commitment…stop and think about it. Are you really going to honor it? Will you really show up? If so, great! If not, remember, it’s better not to make a vow, than to make one and break it later. Be a person of integrity… someone that people can trust… and when you say “yes” or “no” in the future, those around you will know exactly where they stand and what’s going to happen as a result of your decision.
