James 5:12 - your word

Scripture: James 5:12

Summary: Don't swear, by any oath, but let your yes be yes and your no be no.

Thoughts: The scripture says "let your 'Yes' be yes and your 'No' be no."  I think perhaps the writer was trying to tell us not to swear, as he says "by heaven or by earth."  To me this is linked with taking God's name in vain. If you say, "yes, by God, I am going to do that!" it is using the name of God to guarantee my action. But it's really not God who is going to make sure that I do something. It's me that makes sure to do it. I wish that I could make my 'Yes' be yes.  Unfortunately, on occasion I will promise to be somewhere or to take my daughter somewhere, but when the time comes I have forgotten or have made another appointment, another promise that I also need to keep. And so my 'Yes' becomes a probably or a most likely instead of a yes. I want to learn to be more careful with my 'Yes' so that others will know exactly what it means.

Prayer: God, help me to learn how to say yes only to the most important things, the things that I am indeed committed to. Help my 'Yes' to be yes and my 'No' to be no. Amen.