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The Musings of a Stubborn Believer

My Word of Honor

Sometimes my most lucid moments emerge from the calm of profound exhaustion. Not sure why.

Happy tired. Listening from the back seat to the cheerful chatter of people I just love, my head against the window…
“Ketchup please.”
“Lime or strawberry?”
“Did you get your fifth?” 
Rubber purrs on pavement and we whistle along. Ski slopes behind, home before. Backdrop of sunset and rolling hills covered with a fir coat of pine.
“What page were we on?”
The book opens and the story goes on. An old fashioned tale of a century ago, alive with meaning and simple joy. I listen, but only with half of my head. Because forthwith I’m snagged by this old-fashioned story, and an old-fashioned concept that shouldn’t be remarkable, but is.

His word of honor
Used to be, a fellow was slow to make a promise, because a promise meant something
Mhm, mhm, yes. Doesn’t it still?
I don’t know. You tell me. 
When I say a thing, can the world set their clocks by it, and keep good time?
When I say I’ll ____, do I actually deliver, or do I just try?
  I’ll pray for you. 
     I’ll be there at 6.
        I’ll remember.
           Sure mum, can do.
              I will. 
                 I won’t.
                    I promise. 
Really?
Really?

Darkness gathers over the high country. I pulse this resolve.
To treat every “Sure, I’ll…” like an old-fashioned promise.
My word of honor.

6 Comments

  1. I definitely agree, brother! There ought to be very, very little that can come between us and our word. As Christians, our word should at least come very close to being as reliable as the God we serve. I think "swift to hear, slow to speak" has a lot to do with making that possible…. May the Lord help us consider our commitments carefully–and prayerfully!

  2. Oh, so right, so right. I need that too…

    Honor. delivers. every. time.

  3. "out of weakness were made strong" (Heb. 11:34) or in their sleepiness were inspired? 🙂 I know the feeling…

    This whole post reminds me of Psalm 15:4: "he that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not". Not changing our word to be convenient to us. Like you said, is our word so reliable people can set their clocks by us? We serve a God that is never late. He never changes. What He promises He does. Oh that we would be like Him!

  4. Something I have been thinking about recently –

    The power of a Christian life if I say only those things that I do, and do all that I say. Words that are not acted on are nothing more than meaningless intentions that can do more harm than good…

  5. This morning I was considering Number 23:19: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

    We believe what God says, because he always fulfills His word. Oh, how I long to be like Him!

  6. So simple. So solemn. So needed!

    Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

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