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30/07/07 A Man of His Word Suppose we make a promise that seems fully reasonable. Though later, circumstances arise in which we have to neglect someone in need in order to fulfill that promise.
For example, a person came to visit and was just leaving in time to fulfill the original promise, but they slipped and fell; being injured and in need of medical attention. Do we leave the injured person, unattended, because we made a promise? Of course not.
But, what if we aren't doing what God called us to, because we are busy keeping our word elsewhere, and miss the opportunity to meet a spiritual need? Isn't that the same thing? The only difference is where the wound is located and where is your priority?
Perhaps, we gave our word and later realized God wasn't calling us to it. Do we ignore what God is calling us to in order to meet the previous obligation? Does He come first or second?
In such cases, we have a choice. Is our word god? Is the law our god? Is what people think our god? Or, does God's will for us come above all gods?
If we make a promise only later to realize our error, in order for God to be first, we just might have to eat humble pie. But, therein is a lesson to be learned. The error in making such a promise wasn't God's.
There's an easy way to not make the same mistake twice. Don't make promises you may not be able to keep. We can say, "If the Lord be willing …" But, that's about all we can honestly agree to, knowing that none of us knows what tomorrow may bring.
It could be that we feel that God is calling us to do, today, may not be the same tomorrow. Only once we've heard from God can we be 'A Man of HIS Word'. And to walk with Him, we must first be available.
'For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.'
But do not go it the extreme of not committing at all, for when you tell the time you always tell the approximate time. We can never be accurate even in telling the time, by the time we tell it, it has changed.
So make commitments in your capacity of doing it and always try to keep it. If for any reason you can not keep it, please call and apologize. Try to do it before not after your commitment has passed to avoid inconvenience to others.
Remember you are a Christian and you represent Christ.
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