I learned a few core principles from my father, and one of the most important was, “A man’s word is his bond.” Two memorable experiences stand out where I saw him live this principle out.
The first involved me when I was in grade school. He had promised to take me to the county fair, but later, some friends invited my parents to a party for the same evening. Dad asked if he could take me to the fair the next day instead. In my selfishness, I demanded we go that night as planned. Because his word was his bond, he missed the party and took me to the fair.
On another occasion, Dad was deceived by two “friends” in a business deal. I remember how he still did the right thing and honored his part of the agreement. Keeping his word involved a serious personal sacrifice, but he demonstrated his commitment to doing exactly what he said he would do.
Jesus may not have used the exact same wording as my father, but He certainly intended for His followers to remain true to their word.
Vows and Oaths
Jesus cut through the noise of our words and challenged us to simplify our speech. As members of His kingdom, Jesus intends for our actions to align perfectly with our words.
Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.
But I say to you: Do not swear 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. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:33-37).
Much like my father’s belief that a man’s word is his bond, Jesus states that a person’s character should be so reliable that it requires only a simple “yes” or “no.” Any further elaboration often opens the door to everything from “white lies” to outright deception.
The Lack of Truth
The prophet Isaiah wrote 700 years before Jesus, but his words are as current as today’s headlines.
Justice is turned back,
and deliverance stands at a distance,
for truth stumbles in the public square,
and uprightness cannot enter.
Truth is lacking,
and whoever turns from evil is despoiled. (Isaiah 59:14-15)
When a society is dominated by deception, what sort of damage is done? The first thing to disappear is justice. Deliverance—or protection from evil—becomes a distant hope. Dishonesty prevails, and uprightness suffers. People are forced to be constantly discerning, or they risk becoming the victims of schemers.
Jesus made it clear that deceptive speech is rooted in the character of the evil one. The disappearance of truth and justice from our culture simply reflects the extent to which the enemy has penetrated society.
I think we are all tempted from time to time to “shade” the truth or even outright lie. This is particularly true when so much dishonesty already permeates the public space. But when we are tempted, we need to remember who the father of lies truly is.
“You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
This is a good time to stop playing games with ourselves. Let’s not pretend to be members of God’s kingdom while engaging in the kind of deceptive talk that Jesus condemns. Instead, let’s strive to be so truthful in our speech that no qualifiers are ever needed.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 