Let your “Yes” be “Yes”!

Lateness became an usual thing for our nation and when people don’t show punctuality they excuse themselves that they are Moldavians. Unfortunately, this vice affects Christians too and we are put face to face with this problem daily, when we meet people who work in the Gospel ministry. This think is not according to God’s will and it badly affects the work of God’s Kingdom.

The Lord Jesus said the following things in the well-known sermon on the mount:

Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’ But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil. (The Gospel of Matthew 5:33–37)(NASB)

1. Your words don’t have to contradict your actions

The Lord Jesus doesn’t want only to point that we do not have to say the word “I swear!”, as many think, but He teaches us that we should live so, that our actions may never contradict our words and inversely. If people know that you do not go over your words and that you always do what you have said before, they will never ask you to swear. But if you are used to lie, or not to fulfill your promises, that are similar things, people will not take you at word and will ask a guarantyee for your words, and the oath is one of the asked guarantee. What about you? Do people need guarantee for your words, are you always taken at word, because you do what you say?

2. Lack of punctuality shows lack of integrity

If it something usual for you to promise that you come at a certain hour, and you come later, or you do not come at all, or if you say you will do a thing in a certain time, and then, you don’t do it in time or you don’t do it at all, you show lack of integrity through all these. The Word of God says: “anything beyond your words there is of evil”. Through this you show people that you are not a servant of God, but of the one who makes you not respect your words, because he is “a liar and the father of lie”. Maybe you have never taken this seriously, but this is so, when you do not fulfill your promises and your words, you show devil’s image in fact, and not God’s, because God is faithful and He always does according to His Word. That’s why, we can trust Him. It is not an excuse that this is specific to our nation, etc. The nation you say you are from are far from God and have their sins, but you are a part of “God’s people” now and you have to represent Him through your behavior and words.

3. Lack of punctuality shows lack of respect and responsibility

Someone told me once about the period of exams he had at the University for two weeks. During this two weeks, one of the teachers was late with 15 minutes daily. Even if he promised he would be in time, he continued to do this day by day. It seemed that he made fun of all students that were waiting for him at the door. The fact that you are not in time shows lack of respect for the person that waits for you and for his precious time. Businessmen usually refuse a proposal to have dealings with persons who are not punctual. And if one breaks his word in little things, then he easily can break his word in greater things, too. You can not rely on such a person.

Make an analysis of your words and actions! Are you a man or a woman who is used to promise something, and then doesn’t care about those promises? Are you used not to be punctual? Do you excuse yourself that this is the habit of your people, to be late with an hour or two? Repent now and don’t do this anymore. Don’t give the devil a chance to make profit from you, from your words, and from your actions? Don’t forget that you were created in God’s own image, according to His likeness, to reflect His character, and He is faithful to each of His word.

Translated by Felicia Djugostran