Why is it so important for us to keep our promises?
Numbers 30:1-2Moses summoned the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.”
People rely on our promises. Keeping a promise is the basic foundation for trust in any relationship. The fact that we depend on others to keep their promises is reason enough to keep ours.
1 Samuel 20:14-16“May you treat me with the faithful love of the Lord as long as I live. But if I die, treat my family with this faithful love, even when the Lord destroys all your enemies from the face of the earth.” So Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, saying, “May the Lord destroy all your enemies!”
2 Samuel 9:7-10“Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!”
We honor God and others by keeping our promises. David had promised Jonathan to care for his family, and he kept his word when he became king. David took Jonathan’s crippled son, Mephibosheth, into his household to care for him, even though he was the grandson of his enemy, King Saul.
Matthew 5:33-37“You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.”
Jesus said that if we are people of our word, we shouldn’t need to strengthen our promises with a vow. In Jesus’ day, the collateral nature of vows was used sometimes as a scale for actually measuring whether or not a person’s promise had to be kept. (Did a promise made on the Temple or the gold in the Temple carry greater weight?) Jesus pointed back to the basic importance of being a dependable person. Keeping our promises will establish our reputations as a people of our word. Jesus wants his followers to be trustworthy.
Psalm 50:14Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
Love causes people to make and keep promises. The keeping of promises is part of a healthy relationship, not an arrangement of duties to be fulfilled. The promises we make to God should be expressions of our gratitude for all he does to keep his promises to us.
1 Samuel 1:11, 24-25She [Hannah] made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime” . . . When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh.
Our goal is to pattern our lives after God. If God always keeps his promises, so must we.
Deuteronomy 23:22-23“It is not a sin to refrain from making a vow. But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God.”
Proverbs 20:25Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost.
Ecclesiastes 5:2, 5Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few. . . . It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it.
Matthew 5:33-37“You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.”
Keeping our promises will establish our reputation as a person who is trustworthy. Being careful not to make promises we cannot keep will also contribute to our reputation for integrity.
Genesis 47:29-31As the time of his death drew near, Jacob called for his son Joseph and said to him, “Please do me this favor. Put your hand under my thigh and swear that you will treat me with unfailing love by honoring this last request: Do not bury me in Egypt. When I die, please take my body out of Egypt and bury me with my ancestors.” So Joseph promised, “I will do as you ask.”
Numbers 30:1-2Moses summoned the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.”
Malachi 2:14-16You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows. . . . So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth.”
Being a person of your word is an essential component of integrity. Keeping a promise is also the basic foundation for trust in any relationship. If you cannot consistently keep your word, how can anyone really trust you?
