When our first granddaughter, Sophia, was very small, my mom taught her about “Scout’s honor”. Whenever we would ask her to do something, we would say to her, “Scout’s honor”, making the sign of scouts with our fingers.
For a while, conversation with Sophia on any given subject transpired with the same progression of questions:
“Mimi, are you sure?”
“Mimi, do you promise?”
“Mimi, scout’s honor!”
She had learned the concept that my word is my word. Once I said, “Scout’s honor”, she knew that she knew we were going to play The Memory Game; or I would read her three books; or we were going to go outside to play; or her request would be granted.
She knew, and she rested in it . She rested in the fact while she may not get it at the immediate moment, she would get it at the moment in time which was right, simply because I had promised. This has provoked some thought as we are told …
“But above
all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any
other oath;
but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may
not fall under judgment.”
(James 5:12, NASB)
There should be no reason for us to convince one another that what we are saying is true. The Expositor’s Commentary brings this explanation, the Christian:
“… should be honest in all his speech so that when he makes an affirmation or denial people will know it is unquestionably the truth.”
Basically, our word should be our word. Let’s not make promises we cannot keep. Better yet, let’s not promises that which we know we have no intentions of keeping.
More thought was provoked as I realized, there is another One Whose “Yes” is yes.
“The faithfulness of God’s Word is most clearly manifested in the coming of his Son. All of God’s promises to Israel find their yes in him … Christ is God’s yes to all meaningful human hopes. Christ is God’s yes to human longing for life, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification.”
(from The New American Commentary)
"For as many
as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes;
therefore also through
Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.”
(2 Corinthians 1:20, NASB)
Today may we remember – our word is to be our word.
But more importantly, may we remember that His Word is His Word. May we find rest in this. May we know He will fulfill His promises to us – in His time, in His way.
“Scout’s Honor!”
How can we remind ourselves of the veracity, the habitual truthfulness, of our God?
Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash
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