Keeping Your Word
2 Samuel 9:1
Keeping your word is a shining light of a good testimony in a day that overlooks the importance of promises.
David was busy cleaning house in Israel. He destroyed enemies, replaced old advisers, and established his own kingdom. This wasn't anything new. Since the beginning of time, people began conquering lands and establishing themselves as rulers. When a new leader took over, the smart thing to do was eradicate any chance of rebellion or uprising by either executing or banishing those loyal to the past ruler, including family members. The smart move for David was for him to remove any threats to his throne.
Yet David didn't take the "smart move" as many, I'm sure, wanted him to do. Rather, he reached out to Saul's family, "And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"
David and Jonathan shared a bond that was closer than just casual friendship. Their hearts were knit as both worked together to preserve David's freedom. Jonathan many times defied his own father's wickedness. To honor their friendship, David promised Jonathan that when he became king, he would show kindness to his house, "But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul" (1 Samuel 20:15-17).
No one would have blamed David for reneging on his promise to Jonathan. Truly, David's life could have been at risk if one of Saul's relatives were still alive, yet David trusted that God would honor his promise to Jonathan.
Think about how our world treats promises. Many people talk of the day when a handshake was as good as a legal binding document. A person's word was sacred, and even challenging the validity of someone's promise would be met with contempt and anger. Yet what good is a person's word today? Many can still be trusted, but as a whole, our world treats promises flippantly.
Why are we not surprised when someone doesn't come through on a promise? Why do courts require more than someone's word? Why do businesses spend large amounts of money on contracts? Promises don't mean much in our world. That fact is a sad realization of the sinful nature of our society, yet even though the world may not think much of someone's word, we should highly value our promises.
What does God think of your word? "Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile" (1 Peter 3:9-10). God hates guile and lying, and although the world may think nothing of breaking a promise, God desires that you would stay true to your word in all areas of life.
If you say you're going to do something, you should do it to the best of your ability. Why? Keeping your word is a shining light of a good testimony in a day that overlooks the importance of promises.
Daily Bible Reading
Numbers 29-31 | Mark 9:1-29
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