Keeping your word

Keeping your word

Biblically speaking the apostle John has this to say:

1 John 2:5

English Standard Version (ESV)
5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:

Nothing is more frustrating than to associate with people who do not keep their word. Mean what you say, and say what you mean, but also do what you say. A good friend of mine said “Love is an action word.” This means keeping your promises and doing what you say. How can you love your neighbour if you make promises to him or her that you do not keep. If your word means nothing that truly you have nothing. You should not have to make a vow in order to keep your word. Matthew says this:

Matthew 5:33-37

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

So when you say yes and you commit yourself to an action follow up on it. “Commitment is staying loyal long after the desire to do so has left you.” If you forget your commitments, it says to the person that the words that you spoke have no value, not only that, but that you don't value them enough to remember the commitments you have made to them. Not only does it mean that you don't value the person, but you don't value yourself as well. In this age of communication words are cheap. Actions speak louder than words. Act on your words as well as speaking them. Sometimes it is incredibly hard, but in all things anything worth doing is worth doing well, especially if it is difficult.