Let's Go Back to the Bible

Don’t Say It If You Don’t Mean It!

At some point in our lifetimes, we have all said things that perhaps we didn’t really mean.  We had, in all likelihood, good intentions by what we were saying, but the follow-through was lacking.

Unfortunately, too often this has happened with the biggest verbal statements of people’s lives.  Before someone is baptized into Jesus Christ, he/she makes a verbal confession of faith—“I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,” or at least an affirmative, “Yes, I do,” to a question asking of such faith.  However, for some, they later stray from that faith, allowing “the cares, riches and pleasures of life” (Luke 8:14) to choke out their faith-guided walk with the Lord.  May I plead with all who have made that confession to live it, to love it, to be loyal to it.

Similarly, before a man and a woman are “joined in holy matrimony,” they both make a verbal “promise” to “love, honor and remain with each other in sickness and in health, in prosperity and adversity, and forsaking all others, to keep themselves for their mate and their mate alone until death separates them.”  Or, they at least give an affirmative, “I do,” when such a question is asked.  Unfortunately, for some, they later renege on the promise and “depart” for one reason or another.  May I plead with all who have made such a vow to another in the sight of God to live it, love it and be loyal to it.

Still, there are other verbal statements that we make in our lives that may not be “as big” as those first two, but they are, nonetheless, affirmations and promises that we make with our words.  Sometimes we make them as an “automatic reflex” to a situation and maybe even without much thought or real intent behind the words.  May I call upon each of us, as children of God, that we don’t say something to others if we don’t really mean it!  Consider three examples.

“I’m praying for you.” If you find yourself in a situation that calls for this response, please don’t say it if you don’t mean it.  Rather, say it and then do it.  Prayer is powerful, but only when we actually pray!  Let us truly “pray for one another” (Jas. 5:16).

“Let me know if I can do anything.” If you find yourself in a situation that calls for this response, please don’t say it if you don’t mean it.  Rather, say/ask, “I want to do something to help.  Give me one idea of something I can do.”  Be proactive rather than passive!  Let us truly “do good” unto one another, and not just “speak good” (Gal. 6:10).

“You can count on me.” If you find yourself in a situation that calls for this response, please don’t say it if you don’t mean it.  If you make a promise, if you make a commitment, if you give your word, “speak truth” (Eph. 4:25) and not just what someone wants to hear.