Renato Cardoso's Blog |  |
Posted: 04 Jul 2014 08:04 PM PDT Part of the series “40 Thoughts of Jesus.” View all previous here, but first learn how the purpose works here.
But let your word ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one. Matthew 5.37“As God is my witness…” “I swear on my mother’s grave…” “I swear to God…” Have you ever used these or other similar expressions to confirm you are telling the truth? According to this Thought of Jesus, whoever is truthful does not need to swear by anything or anybody. A word is enough. His yes is yes. There is no doubt. There are no “buts”. The same applies to his no. Once more, Jesus breaks the standards of character and conduct. The Jews used to swear by heaven, by Jerusalem, or by their own lives. However, the same way they’d swear based on the Law of Moses, they also broke their oaths whenever it was convenient to them, using another part of the Law. Their promises and oaths were worth nothing. What Jesus establishes here is that our reputation for telling the truth must be so impeccable, that no one will require of us an oath to confirm our words. Adopting this standard requires of us a complete overhaul in our way of thinking and speaking. Concerning our way of thinking, we need to learn not to falter between yes and no. Being indecisive in our opinions. We must train ourselves to opt for either yes or no quickly and with conviction. After all, who is the one that is ahead, behind, beside, above, below and between yes and no? The devil and his suggestions. If we renovate our way of thinking and always chose either yes or no, in any situation, we will overcome our doubts and weaknesses. Then, the other half: be truthful and consistent with your words. Have zeal for them. Keep your word. For that reason, do not rush into saying things. Do not embellish your speech as to impress someone. Do not promise more than what you can deliver. When you build up this reputation, your word will be worth more than gold, literally. And you won’t need to reinforce it with oaths. Application: Train your mind to decide quickly and firmly between yes and no, always. And have zeal for your words so they are always true and kept. Do you constantly change your mind? Do you have a hard time sticking to an opinion or a decision? What is the reputation of your words among those who know you? Is there someone who has stopped trusting what you say? Do you have the habit of using sentences like “I swear to God…” to confirm that you are telling the truth? What do you need to change to build an impeccable reputation of being truthful? Leave your comment.  |
No comments:
Post a Comment