Reason #902

They say it is a generational issue. I don’t know about that. Really, I think it’s a character issue. There are always exceptions to the rule, and they don’t always have to do with age.

 

I grew up being taught that you keep your word. If you tell someone you’ll be somewhere, you show up. If you start something, you finish it. You don’t leave things, or people, hanging. You follow through. That was the expectation. I was taught commitment at an early age. My parents gave me the freedom to try things out, but I wasn’t allow to just give up if it didn’t work out. I had to fulfill my commitment. If I told someone I would do something for them, I did it. If I made a promise, I kept it. The one thing my parents taught me was that not only did you keep your word, you set the expectation that you always would. That way, people knew that about you. There was no guessing or wondering if you really meant what you said. Let your yes be yes and your no be no.

 

Every bride gets this. That’s the whole purpose of RSVP cards. I’ll have to brag on the people that attended our wedding. For the most part, if they said they were coming they came. If they said they weren’t coming, they didn’t come. And if they didn’t give an answer either way, I made my best guess and hoped I got it right. The biggest issue wasn’t whether or not they replied, but it was whether or not they actually followed through with the decision they marked on their RSVP card. Those RSVPs helped me know how many seats to have, how much food to order, and what size cake to get. I was depending on people to keep their word so that everything would work out as planned. Yet I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people say they don’t want to make an absolute commitment about attendance because they don’t want to be tied up in the event another opportunity presents itself. Just in case a better thing comes along, they want to be available.

 

In the grand scheme of life, wedding attendance commitments really aren’t that big of a deal. But if we as a people can’t even commit to attending an event, something that might take up a couple of hours and we’ve known about for weeks, then what else can’t we commit to? I think we have commitment issues as a society. I think we could vastly improve on keeping our word. Because the thing is, there will always be another opportunity. Something else will always come along that seems to be better. Life will compete for your attention. People will compete for your time. There is always going to be another thing that you could be available for, but if you’d ask me, I’d choose a committed person over an always available one any day of the week.

 

Today I had to make that choice. I had to decide if I was going to be a woman of my word. Was I going to stick to something I committed to? Was I going to follow through with my promise? I didn’t “have” to. It wasn’t a legally binding issue, but I had already said yes. I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to go back and say no. I never thought that I’d have to reevaluate my decision. But I did. I had to really think about it, talk about it, and pray about it. And, like I learned in my bible study last week, when we’re at a crossroads, we should seek God’s word. If we don’t know what to do, then we should go to it for counsel. God has given us instruction on how to live, on what He requires and expects of His children, and we are wise to follow His example.

 

Paul writes a letter to the church in Corinth about changing His plans. He said, “You may be asking why I changed my plans. Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like the people of the world who say “yes” when they really mean “no?” As surely as God is faithful, our word to you does not waver between yes and no. For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between yes and no…He always does what He says.” (2 Corinthians 17-19)

 

If you want to be like Jesus, do what you say. When you say yes, stick with it. When you say no, stick with it. Don’t waver. Be a person of your word. You might have to stick through it, but God honors commitment. He is a God of His word. You can trust Him, and you can trust what He says. There is no guessing with the Lord. When He says He will do something, He does it. Imagine if we all followed suit. The world would definitely be a different place, and I’d venture to say we’d all be better off for it.

 

#902 – Because He does not waver but does what He says He will do.  

 

“Just say a simple “Yes, I will,” or “No, I won’t.” Anything beyond this is from the evil one.” – Matthew 5:37