We go to great legal lengths to hold individuals and corporations to their word, with airtight contracts that detail all the terms of agreement. And when a breach of contract happens, it’s recognized as a serious offense. Today’s reading reminds us of the importance of making good on our word.
Be careful to do whatever comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed what you promised to the LORD your God (Deuteronomy 23:23).
In the time of the Old Testament, vow-keeping involved promising God an offering or action in response to His help or provision concerning a particular matter. In the New Testament, Jesus references these instructions, asserting that our “yes” should be “yes” and our “no” should mean “no” (Matthew 5:37). We are to be people of our word, a people who live truthfully—in front of God and among our neighbors.
When we commit to something, we do it with the intention of following through. Our words are an expression of our character, and we honor God when they are honest and authentic. Keeping our word is also a show of respect and care to those to whom we gave our word. How disappointing empty promises are. I’ll be there…I’ll pay you back next week… Yes, I’ll do that. Commitment without the intention to follow through is not only disappointing to others, but it also dishonors God.
Sometimes we say yes in the moment, or we overcommit. These days, it’s easy to over promise our time and even money without realizing that we’ve done it. Sometimes, we’ve tried our best to keep our word, but we just can’t. These things happen; but they should be exceptions. God’s instructions in Deuteronomy and Matthew remind us of the way in which we should live our lives.
They also challenge us to be honest with ourselves and identify opportunities for growth related to honoring our commitments. Perhaps, we do overcommit far too often. Or perhaps, lately, it’s just seemed hard to follow through on even the smaller things. These could be signals, pointing to a need to reduce busyness or to reevaluate our time management priorities.
There’s a sweet grace in Jesus’s “yes” and “no” instructions. We don’t have to say yes to everything. We get to say no sometimes, even often! Living truthfully brings balance to our lives, allowing us to be good stewards with the time and resources the Lord has entrusted to us.
Let’s continue to honor God with truthfulness in our words and actions. And let’s ask Him to continue to help us to live honestly among others.
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50 thoughts on "Keeping Vows and Consideration for Others"
I love this reminder of staying true to our word! I feel like I have a tendency of saying “yes” too quickly, without considering whether or not I can actually do the thing I said “yes” too. I always feel bad when I have to retract my yes’s, but that’s an indicator that I need to reassess my priorities and time. Also, honoring the promises we make to ourselves too! I feel like whenever I make a promise to myself, I’m also making a promise to God. So I’m trying to do better at only giving a yes but I’m absolutely sure I’ll be able to do so.
How harshly we look at the consequences in these passages yet the devotion author makes a good point, today we have serious consequences for breaches. Help me remember that God commands because He loves and cares for us. Help me, oh Lord, to obey.
I have a friend who I have always looked up to as a godly woman. But she falls so short in this area, and it is so hurtful. Constantly saying she’ll be at things (my wedding included) & not showing up. The Lord is teaching me to have grace with her, but I couldn’t help but think of her when reading this passage. I don’t want that to be me. I want people to be able to count on what I say & count on me. I want to glorify God in that way & I just pray that He convicts her in the same way. The hurt she has caused me, the Lord is using to grow my own character.. which is honestly such a beautiful thing.
“Our words are an expression of our character and we honor God when they (our words) are honest and authentic”…. “ keeping our word is a show of respect and care to those whom we gave our word”.
God wants the glory so if by keeping my word gives Him the glory count me in!! Also you are His- perfectly made so Respect yourself (and others) by keeping your word! God wants us to love (respect and care) for one another- we are called to be a people of His word (truth)therefore we should keep our word!!! Sending LOVE to each and every one of my sisters!!
“Our words are an expression of our character and we honor God when they (our words) are honest and authentic”…. “ keeping our word is a show of respect and care to those whom we gave our word”. God wants the glory so if by keeping my word gives Him the glory count me in!! Also you are His- perfectly made so Respect yourself (and others) by keeping your word! God wants us to love (respect and care) for one another.
Such a good reminder of being a person of integrity and following through with what I’ve said.
The podcast did, indeed, help with the regulations/rules that seem so odd to us. It helped to put the right context around the rules that God gave (based on what was happening).
Whether or not she did, she became a direct ancestor of Jesus. What a privilege!
I’m forever thankful for all of your comments, and the unique insight each of you She’s adds to the day’s reading (especially for tougher subjects like today’s). One thing that really stood out to me was God’s continued reminder to not be greedy – don’t try to grab up every last bit of provision or wealth you have, but leave some so that it can be a blessing to those in need. This is such a simple request, and I pray that I keep it at the front of my heart all my days. Many mid-week blessings, sisters! xx
Reading these verses today reminded me of how we should all treat others with the amount of respect we would like to be given. Also I believe we should all get off of our high horses and think about other people rather than just ourselves on our journey of life. I think the world would be a different place if we would all do that and stick to it.
Jesus loves you!
For those of you who can’t say no I would suggest the book, “Boundaries” by Townsend and Cloud and yes it is on audio so you can listen to it while doing other things in your busy schedule. Remember to take time for the Lord.
Tameshia’s last to sentences pack a powerful message and sum up the scriptures well. I do, though, feel that divorce is also okay if there is abuse of any sort — physical, verbal, mental, emotional or even spiritual. This can be for either side.
Lord, help us to talk in Your way, shining a light for You and spreading Your word throughout the world. Amen.
Sisters have a wonderful day and be blessed.
Wow is this timely!! I have waaay overcommitted lately; and I am very exhausted today; to the point of tears this morning :( My family and I love to entertain, and get invited to do a lot of fun things; but I am realizing that sometimes I just have to say no… We hosted a party for 50 friends at our home on Sunday, , then cleaned up on Monday, and I left the house at 6am yesterday for work and didn’t get home until 10:30pm last night because we were invited on a friend’s boat after work, Back to school night tomorrow, and football tailgate party followed by my son’s first varsity football game on Friday… all while working full time and helping our elderly parents, and taking care of our two teenagers. Yep, I was crying this morning… these are all wonderful things, but sometimes I just yearn for more quiet time, to spend in Bible study, or reading my Bible and devotionals, or just talking to Jesus. I think we need that time everyday to center ourselves (I know that I do!) When we’re not centered we are thrown off balance, and life becomes overwhelming. I am just realizing this now, and the importance of knowing that it’s ok to sometimes say no.
Nads, how is Danny? Still praying for him.
MAURA, it sounds like there’s a “praise” in there…I’m happy to rejoice with you!!
(Sorry…again re: Danny… praying discernment for doctors re: concerning findings in his blood.)
The news today about Danny is not very encouraging. He is still not responsive. As Victoria E mentioned yesterday, some doctors and nurses have said it may simply take some time, even a week to start to wake up / respond. HOWEVER, a nurse put a bug in his wife’s ear today that the fact that he DID respond earlier in the week and now is NOT is worse than had he never responded at all. :(
(Yesterday, his wife asked each of us to read Ezekiel 37:1-14 and pray along those lines.)
Please continue to pray, my sweet sisters. Thank you for joining me this week, allowing me to share. ❤️
It’s not Edomites and Moabites. It’s Ammonite or Moabite. Deuteronomy 23::3. An illegitimate person can not even enter into the congregation. Deuteronomy 23:2
Good morning SRT sisters.
I read through the whole devotion. But all I have time for this morning is to say good morning.
MARI V and K SWENSON, praying after your comments yesterday.
I’m also praying for all my sisters where yesterday’s readings were not just hard to read with our 21st century eyes but, cut very close to the bone — I pray it was healing more than hurting.
(I actually found parts of today’s OT Scripture even more jarring than yesterday’s.)
TERRI – Yes, death certainly releases one from their wedding vows! God bless you.
ARINA – How convicting; thank you!
ANGIE – Your story put me in your classroom, and made me smile!! Thank God for beautiful teachers who create an environment that brings this out on children! :)
MAURA and RUTH LONG – I pride myself on always “keeping my promise” and commitment but, I have struggled with guilt saying “No” for many years…not a good combination! I love the approach of “Let me pray and get back to you”…For now, I mostly say “I’ll need to talk to my husband to figure out our schedule.” :D
When I commit to something, I do it. And if I have overcommitted and have felt overwhelmed, I admit it and let the other person/s know right away.
Hi TERRI! I take comfort from knowing that these laws push us closer to the heart of God but 1) do not bind us because of Christ’s grace and 2) were created only to help us be more loving, considerate, and careful with our power. God is trying to protect women and divorcees from our “hardness” of heart, making sure that we don’t leave women in the lurch or just start swappin’ partners. God made these rules for our benefit but they are not God! I always try and ask myself whether a rule I’m holding drives me or the person I’m interacting with closer to the heart of God (LOVE TENDERNESS CONSIDERATION) and if they answer is no, it is not from the heart of God. A blessing on you and your husband!
ERB, God is Good! Mission accomplished. Joy to this day. Angie, I wish you would consider writing a book, so love your stories of blessing. Praying for my older granddaughters as they start a new school today that they have a teacher who sees them, watches over them, and loves them in Christ. Realize I am praying for your heart in their new teachers and for friends that will lead them, or they will lead closer to Jesus. Pray with me.
Ruth Long, let me encourage you, from one who use to be overwhelmed with saying Yes. I learned how to say let me pray about it and get back to you. Then I could seek God and it gave me time to check if my heart could really be a blessing in it, and I learned No was the best answer if it wasn’t. Jen, my older and wiser sister helped me when my kids were a little older than your little one, she said don’t ask if they did something, if you know beyond a doubt they did it. Ask dear one why did you choose this? Or, I am so sad you chose to do this and open the conversation up with the knowledge of it happened. Not for your little, but it did help with that initial lie of I didn’t do it. Not sure this helps you, praying you feel God’s whisper of wisdom as you raise your sweet little Love. Sisters, So much in His word. Indeed Arina, loved your words, and it strikes me that it is when He lives in our hearts that they become holy and only by His grace that they can be and remain so. Praise Jesus, our call to be holy is a call into His arms. He gives us the strength to stay there, and if we leave keeps calling us back. Hugs to your day wrapped in the light and joy of the King.
Hope this posts, having trouble with the app!
PENNY W- thanks for posting the commentary. I had wondered what it meant to not be allowed into the Assembly of God. It makes a lot more sense now.
Thank you for your insights and encouragement this morning ladies! I didn’t remember what happened to Miriam in the scripture that was referred to today. I looked it up and found that Miriam was afflicted with leprocy after criticizing Moses regarding a marital matter with his wife. The commentary said she received the harsh punishment for the same reason Moses’ punishment was harsh. They were essentially held to the highest standard because of who they were. This is just one commentaries thoughts, anyone have any other viewpoints?
Once again as I read through Deuteronomy, I am reminded that God is holy, He is a God of order, He has a purpose in everything He does or requires. And He is a God who loves all, without partiality!
Thinking about your situation Ruth Long. I think if you went back to those you over-committed to, and honestly told them that you thought you could do it, but now realized you took on to much and must step back, that they would understand. Make it a matter of prayer before you approach them, letting God do His work in them first. Honesty is always the best policy and even if they react wrong – you would have done the right thing.
Blessings to you all SRT sisters!
I’ve been feeling exhausted and overwhelmed lately and today was just what I needed to read. I’ve been burning the candle at both ends and don’t seem to know when to say no. I end up backing out of commitments I have made which makes me wonder why I am overcommitting myself??? I need to step back and take a breath and reevaluate my day to day activities. Thank u.
Since my Husband’s exwife is dead does that release him from Mt 19:9 in committing adultery? These are Jesus’ words Himself!
Yes Kelly. If don’t doesn’t mean don’t in Bible then what? God said the Edomite and Moabite “ shall not enter into the congregation forever” De 23:3. Is the congregation the presence of the Lord? Or can she come into the presence of God and not come in the congregation?
❤️
Amen, Kristen. I pray we have ears to hear Holy Spirit
Angie,love your story about the 4 girls. That shows me hope in hard circumstances. You are blessed! I pray you keep these moments in your heart for when your job feels challenging.
So true-& convicting, Arina.
@kelly thank you! I had
not made that connection to Ruth. Knowing that Ruth is also Jesus’s ancestor, I was extra curious. I ended up on a site that analyzes the laws of the Torah. https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-prohibition-of-joining-the-assembly-of-the-lord
The gist was this. It prohibits men from joining the assembly of God. Ruth wouldn’t have been able to join anyways. But I love God’s heart in this story. He takes what humanity turned into legalism and exclusion and turns it on its head.
I was a little put off by the beginning of Deuteronomy 23 as well. That seemed really specific and harsh. But from what I read it might have been part of a local cultic practice. Some of these little details are hard to understand without information about what was happening in the cultures around the Isrealites. I recently heard that a scroll was found detailing a middle eastern religious practice of boiling the sacrificial meat in milk. It seems to explain God’s command to not boil the meat of a goat in the milk of its mother. Another example of God setting the Isrealites apart from their neighbors.
@Kelly and @Jen Brewer I also had a question about this. I’m pasting the notes from a commentary I read, but it basically says this probably refers to special assemblies or assemblies of the leaders. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/deuteronomy-23/ says, “Shall not enter the assembly of the LORD: When we read this term, it usually refers to the nation gathered before the LORD in worship, such as when they were gathered at Mount Sinai (Deuteronomy 5:22, 9:10, 10:4, and 18:16). But it doesn’t always have this sense.
i. Deuteronomy 31:30 refers to all the congregation of Israel, while Deuteronomy 31:28 makes it clear that “all the congregation” was gathered through all the elders of your tribes, and your officers. So, in some contexts, the congregation can refer to elders and officers. It may very well be that these exclusions from the assembly of the LORD are exclusions not from the religious life of Israel, but from the political life of the nation.
ii. Poole suggests that the idea of the assembly of the LORD is the leadership, or the rulers of Israel. These people were barred not from the religious life of Israel, but from the political life of the nation. Trapp agrees, saying on shall not enter the assembly of the LORD: “Shall not go in and out before the people as a public officer.” Clarke adds, “If by entering into the congregation be meant the bearing a civil office among the people, such as magistrate, judge, &c., then the reason of the law is very plain.””
This was good. It was very timely, as I have been experiencing a kind of burnt out recently from over committing. How does one deal with circling back and saying no to something you originally agreed to? Does that mean you’re not living truthfully, if you must reduce your busyness and say no to previous commitments? Im not sure.
ANGIE – I love hearing your stories. Your students are so blessed to have you!
I highly recommend this week’s podcast episode!
God’s ways have always been counter-cultural. PHOEBE – I completely agree! God sees the marginalized and wants His people to care for those in need.
God help me to see the ways you call me to care for those around me who need your love and resources that I have.
Kelly, I also thought of Ruth and wondered the same! Also, love Jesus’ admonishment to say what we mean and be truthful. Trying to teach me 3.5 year old son about speaking the truth and not lying and often quite, let your yes be yes and no be no. Give me wisdom, Jesus, how to guide his heart and to be a daily examile
Thank you for your encouragement this morning, sisters.
Happy Wednesday Shes!! I am so so guilty of overcommitting myself lol. I say yes and just want to do everything! The pandemic has helped show me the importance of rest, but in this season of work and reffing field hockey almost every day I do not make much time for rest. I pray the Lord will reveal the areas of my life that are not honoring to Him and give me the strength to actually make the change. I hope everyone has a blessed day :)
Many of the commands listed today have the best interest of the poor, orphan, widow, and resident alien in mind. God sees and provides for the people that others easily forget and take advantage of. And Jesus, when He was on earth, saw and sought out those in need as well. God is loving and His heart is for those in need.
ARINA, I really like and appreciate what you wrote this morning!!! It is SPOT ON!!! And it is something God has been bringing to my attention and asking of me!!! You encouraged and uplifted me dear sister and I am ever so grateful!!! ❤️
These readings continue to display the beautiful, and richly detailed plans of God. Beautiful because He loves us, in every generation and culture. Whether rich or poor, powerful or slave, male or female, His love is full, and complete. He lays out a path for us and says, walk in it. He shows us the way of life, what is best. When I read the very first verse of Deut. 23, I laughed and thought, now there is detail! Oh my!
Thank you Arina for your connection that while God walked among them, He lives in us-His people today. How much more important that the dwelling place is pure and clean.
It is a blessing to be back to teaching. Some of the details, boundaries that are usually set into place by this time of the year are not, due to my absence and honestly many of their absences as well. Yet, the reading today, and time with my sweethearts yesterday, reminded me of their importance.
So just a cute story: I had to rearrange desks in groups of 4 so that if we have contact tracing less children have to go home. When I did I had a group of 4 girls together. They set up a kleenex box in the middle with hand sanitizers around it, and lotion for one of the girls that doesn’t like sanitizer. It was so cute. Then they said, “If only we had flowers that would be so fun.” So I picked flowers out of my garden and they will be arranged on my girls groups of desks. Also, a precious boy made me a rock necklace as a gift for the day I was able to come back. He took wire and wrapped it around rock and tied it onto a piece of string. I sure love teaching these children and am so blessed by them. Thank you Lord for the affirmation of this calling and the blessing of these lives. Help us put the “details” into place so that we can have a year of learning, growing, and being a light. I pray for wisdom, courage and stamina Father, and thank you in advance for Your details.
MAURA, I just now realized that you left me your email a couple days ago!! I just sent you a message!! Hopefully it gets through!! My friends haven’t heard of anything available in the areas you specified but are keeping their eyes & ears open!!! Much Love dear friend ❤️❤️❤️
Thank You, Lord that You keep Your word and empower us to do the same. May we be known for our integrity.
Some things that jumped out to me:
23:1 the eunuch in the Book of Acts could not enter the temple (God’s presence), but worshipped Him anyway. Then once He trusted Jesus as savior, God’s presence entered him!
23:3 Boaz married Ruth the Moabitess. Was she ever allowed to enter into God’s presence?
Have a blessed day Shes
Thank you for encouraging me this morning!
I really appreciate the connection to saying “yes” or “no” to living truthfully and committing to things. I am convicted by how many times my intention is to go to that place or meet that friend, and I don’t follow through. This reminds me that in all that I do I am representing Christ- but am I doing it accurately and with honesty?
“For the Lord your God walks throughout your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you; so your encampments must be holy.” Deuteronomy 23:14. The camp had to be holy, to be clean, because God walked through it. How much more then our hearts have to be holy, the place where He wants to live in us.
My friend told me that I am one of the people that she knows that does what she says She told me that if I said I would do it, she noticed that I actually do. This has and had an affect ion me. People watch how we talk, act, and live. I have learned it’s okay to say no, and sometimes that is what we should say. I also I’m learning not to commit if I am not sure if I will have the energy or desire to go. May the Holy Spirit’s help us to pray and seek to k ow where to go and what to do when we aren’t clear. May we be protected from going off the best path and following things that lead us away from Him. Prayers for you all to have a good day filled with His protection, peace, joy, and gratitude. Amen