Matthew 5:33-37

³³ “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’^[n] 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. ³⁵ And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. ³⁶ Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. ³⁷ Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
Matthew 5:33-37

How honest are you? I think that we all like to think that we are completely honest. No one wants to be called deceitful. However, the truth is not quite so straightforward. We filter our stories to back up the way that we want to be seen. We emphasise arguments that we want to win. We use clever words to provoke feelings and emotions in others to move our will forwards.

I watches a debate last week about Gaza, Palestine and Israel. As the Jewish arguer presented his case, I thought to myself. He is absolutely correct, this is what I believe. Then as the Palestinian spoke, I was swayed again. How could both sides be so compelling and yet argue for such different points? We filter, emphasise and use language to move people.

I remember someone joining the church I lead and telling me that they loved it and they there were in for life. They wanted to invest deeply into the movement and see God transform our town. I believed them but within three months they were gone. Their words and their actions didnt match.

Jesus tells us that our words matter. In essence, Matthew 5:33-37 calls for:

• Truthfulness: Being honest and straightforward in all your dealings. 
• Integrity: Having a reputation for being trustworthy and reliable.
• Simplicity: Speaking plainly and directly, without the need for elaborate oaths or justifications. 
• Dependability: Having a "yes" that means yes and a "no" that means no.