Title
Keeping My Word When It Hurts
Scripture
...He who swears to his own hurt and does not change.
(Psalm 15:4)
Devotional
Our word matters to God. The scriptures repeatedly instruct us about keeping our word. Our text clearly teaches us to keep our word to the detriment of our own well-being. The Hebrew word for "hurt" has many meanings and connotations: to suffer harm, to be treated harshly or to suffer damage. We are to keep our word to just about any cost to ourselves. We have one of two choices with regard to keeping our word: we either keep it or appeal to be released from it. Proverbs guides, "If you... are snared by the words of your mouth... do this, my son, and deliver yourself... Go and humble yourself; plead with your friend. Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids."[35] The preference is, pay the price and keep your word. Here is what I have learned, if I will not keep my word in the simple areas of life: from being on time to completing a task, I will not keep my word for the greater responsibilities of life: keeping my wedding vows or holding on to my integrity.