Numbers 30:2
“If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.”
God dedicated a whole chapter in the Scriptures to show the importance of keeping your vows. When a person gives their word that they are going to do something, God expects them to do it and holds them accountable for what they said. God said that when a person vows a vow,“…he shall not break his word….” God expected the word of His children to be truthful at all times.
It is extremely critical that the Christian is known as a person whose word is their bond. We live in times when many have no problem with lying. Some people manipulate words, which is nothing short of lying. There are some who think that lying to keep from being inconvenienced is justified. There are others who believe that another’s deceit vindicates their lying. When looking at the Scriptures, you will clearly see that God never excuses lying. There are some thoughts the Scriptures give that you should consider concerning your word.
First, your word is a representation of your character. Show me the line at which you justify lying and I will show you your character level. The line where you believe lying is okay is the degree at which you can be trusted. Proverbs 13:5 says, “A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.” The question you must ask yourself is this, how much do you hate lying? The degree of your hatred for lying shows the magnitude of your love for doing right. How much you can be trusted is determined by how much your word means to you. If there is ever a situation when you can imagine that lying is justified, that then is the degree of your character.
Second, lying is a quick way to get out of God’s favor. Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.” Be a person who always tells the truth if you want to stay in God’s favor. You can pray for hours and be an avid soul winner, but you will not obtain God’s favor if you lie. Your word plays a major part in whether or not God chooses to bless you. It is better to tell the truth even if telling the truth hurts you. It is better because the truth may not immediately benefit you, but it will keep you in favor with God for future blessings.
Third, lying is a temporary reprieve whereas truth is an eternal honor. Proverbs 12:19 says,“The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” You may get out of a tight situation by lying, but that temporary reprieve will cause you more harm when your dishonesty is revealed. They always say that the cover-up is worse than the crime, and this verse agrees. The best way to become a person of honor is to be an individual who always tells the truth. You will never have to remember what you said in the past if you always tell the truth.
Let me ask you, does your word match God’s character level? If not, it should! If you are a person of your word, you will never give your enemies ammunition to use against you. Let your word be your bond, and be sure that your bond is telling the truth at all times. Your integrity and trust depends on you telling the truth. You will earn the trust of others if you will always tell the truth.