Matthew 5:33-37 NIV Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

I’ve had this conversation with my wife on more than one occasion about how I want my yes to be yes and my no to be no. Usually in the context of her asking me for something or to do something. I’ve never thought about how this also applies to business/commitments. So many times I’ve found myself in a bind because I said I’d do something by a certain date without considering other commitments. Whether it’s getting back to someone on the same day or following up with them at the end of the week. There’s been many times where I did not follow through in the time frame I said I would. Better late than never, I guess?

When I tell someone I’ll do something, I don’t want them to have any doubts about whether or not I will get it done when I say I will. In the future I’ll make sure to think about what I’ve got going on before I blindly commit to things. I’m sure it will take some effort because my natural response is to say “Of Course, I’m happy to help!”, but ultimately it will keep my yes, yes, and my no, no. Not only will I be happier with myself, but others will be assured of my commitment.

Thoughts in this post were inspired by SPRING 2025 Stand Firm Devotional - Thursday, March 20th - Be a man of your word.