By Tope Banso
In relationships with fellow human beings, it is very important to discipline yourself to fulfil your promises. Making promises is voluntary. If you make a promise, make sure you fulfil it. Don’t make promises that you have no intention of fulfilling.
Some people are quick to make promises and forget about them immediately because they have no intention of fulfilling them. Such people could be called liars. They have no integrity.
In Hosea 10:4, God says this about the Israelites: “They spout empty words and make promises they don’t intend to keep. So perverted justice springs up among them like poisonous weeds in a farmer’s field” (New Living Translation).
It is the same attitude that such people extend to their relationship with God. They fail to redeem their pledges or fulfil their vows, which nobody forced them to make. However, I am not talking about keeping your promises to God in this message. I am limiting myself to keeping promises to fellow human beings.
In law, a contract is an agreement that creates an obligation binding on the parties, whether the contact is written or oral. Therefore, don’t enter into a contract hastily without understanding or being ready to fulfil your obligations. Many have entered into contracts unadvisedly and are suffering the consequences today.
Some contracts need to be written and signed for them to be enforceable. Don’t hurry to sign what you don’t understand. If you must consult a legal practitioner, please do. It may cost you some money, but it is ultimately cheaper than what you may pay if you fail to fulfil your obligations. Don’t be penny wise, pound foolish. Keep your promises.
6 Reasons you should keep your promises
1. God demands that you keep your promises. Failure to keep your promises amounts to lying. And the Word of God forbids lying. Leviticus 19:11 says, “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another” (New King James Version). A lying tongue is one of the seven things that are an abomination to the LORD (Proverbs 6:16-19).
As a Christian, you must eschew all forms of lying. Lying is a sin; it’s one of the sins that comes from the heart that defiles a person (Matthew 15:19-20). “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25 New King James Version).
2. God is a promise-keeper, and if you’re truly His son or daughter, you should emulate Him. If you’re a promise-breaker, you don’t resemble God. The psalmist asks in Psalm 77:8b, “Has His promise failed forevermore?” (New King James Version). No. God’s promises have never failed.
Hebrews 11:11b says Sarah believed that God would keep his promise. And God did fulfill the promise of a child of promise, Isaac!
Solomon said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses” (1 Kings 8:56 New King James Version).
In 2 Corinthians 1:20, it is written, “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (New King James Version).
The New Living Translation puts it this way: “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in him. That is why we say ‘Amen’ when we give glory to God through Christ.” Hebrews 10:23b says, “God can be trusted to keep his promise” (New Living Translation). As His child, you should also be trusted to keep your promises.
3. It is a good testimony of your faith as a Christian. Being a promise-breaker makes people question the authenticity of your claim of being a Christian. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (New King James Version).
If non-believers are breaking their words and you also do, in what way are you different from them? If you’re a child of God and you habitually break you promises, you’re not representing God well, especially before non-believers.
4. It will earn you people’s respect and trust. Promise-breakers are never treated as honourable people. The respect and trust they have is a huge capital for them. It goes before them in many places, working for them even before people who have no transaction with them before.
A reputation of breaking promises is a great liability. It works against one even before people who have never transacted any business with one. You don’t demand respect and trust; you earn them.
5. It helps you not to get into trouble. Failure to keep some promises, such as contracts, can put one in trouble. Some people have been dragged to court because they failed to fulfil their contractual obligations. Avoid a breach of contract.
Matthew 5:25-25 says, “Come to terms quickly with your enemy before it is too late and you are dragged into court, handed over to an officer, and thrown in jail. I assure you that you won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny” (New Living Translation).
Although the penalty for failure to fulfil contractual obligations may not be imprisonment, except when a party is guilty of contempt of court, parties can avoid the consequences of litigations. Fulfil your contractual obligations.
6. You will reap what you sow. According to Galatians 6:7b, “You will always harvest what you plant!” (New Living Translation). The Golden Rule says do to others as you want them to do to you.
I have seen some promise-breakers really got annoyed when those who made promises to them failed to fulfil them. However, that was a good opportunity for them to experience what they had subjected other people to with their failed promises.
God says of the Assyrians: “You expect others to respect their promises to you, while you betray your promises to them. Now you, too, will be betrayed and destroyed!” (Isaiah 33:1 New living Translation).
Verse 8b says, “The Assyrians have broken their peace pact and care nothing for the promises they made before witnesses. They have no respect for anyone” (New Living Translation). Do you care for the promises you make to others? If you don’t, it means you have no respect or regard for them.
Promise-breakers will reap what they have sown. 2 Timothy 3:13 says “But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will go on deceiving others, and they themselves will be deceived” (New Living Translation).
How do you feel when people fail to keep their promises to you? You feel bad of course. So don’t break your promises to other people if you don’t like others to break their promises to you.
Don’t rush to make promises. Don’t try to impress people with your promises. Think before you commit yourself. Be sure you can deliver on what you want to promise. “A person who doesn’t give a promised gift is like clouds and wind that don’t bring rain” (Proverbs 25:14 New Living Translation).
If for any unforeseen reason you cannot fulfil a promise, inform the person you’ve promised in good time. As much as it is humanly possible, fulfil your promises.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I shall not be a promise-breaker. As much as it lies within my power, I shall fulfil my promises. I receive the help of the Holy Spirit not to make rash promises. I shall think well before I make promises in Jesus’ name.
This is wisdom for living, and it’s worth sharing. Please share.
(For over 300 in-depth and powerful messages by T.O. Banso, visit: www.cedarministry.org).
▪︎ Banso, an Abuja-based Minister, heads
Cedar Ministry International and can be reached at cedarministryintl@yahoo.com, cedarministryng@gmail.com
Tel No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523; WhatsApp No: +2349081295947