Do You Keep Your Word?

A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.

Numbers 30:2 

 

I remember standing in that room with 60 others and taking the Oath of Enlistment for Military Service.  Here's the kicker, even though I was released from service when my enlistment time was up...none of the paperwork I signed ever released me from that Oath!  In fact, one particular document had a clause whereby, if a state of conflict occurred, I could be recalled to service STILL BOUND BY MY OATH!

 

So my question is this, how seriously do we take the giving of our word in vows and oaths?  When I have the opportunity to perform a wedding, there are vows taken by BOTH parties:

"I ________, as you stand before God

and these present asking _____ to be your spouse,

I am promising to Love you, Honor you

Cherish and Protect you;

You are promising to be faithful to you

In sickness and in health

In wealth and in poverty

From this moment until death parts us.

This ring is the symbol of my vow and pledge to you.

Will you accept it?"

How many times do we merely parrot back these words without a single thought to what we are doing?  We are pledging BEFORE GOD and the witnesses that we are serious about keeping our vow and pledge until God releases us by taking our last breath.  

When my Grandfather made a deal, he and whoever he made a deal with would shake hands.  I once asked him why there was no paperwork.  He said, "REAL men honor their word!"

So, my question for reflection, how many times have we given our word, taken an oath, made a vow, giving a pledge?  How many of those have we taken seriously?