Lessons from a 5 year old!

Above all, my brothers, do not swear– not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned. (James 5:12)

My little nephew has been learning this verse.  My sister noticed that Andrew would change his mind a lot, so she decided to teach him this verse.  Here’s his version,

“Let your yes be yes, let your no be no.”

Even at the precious age of five, Andrew is learning how to be a man of his word.  I think this is a very important lesson that we can learn.  How often do we lack the follow through we need?  How often do we fall short on finishing what we start?  In this passage, James is quoting Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount.  Let’s take a look at what Jesus has to say!

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’  But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.  And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.  Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

~Matthew 5:33-37

It’s rather simple!  Don’t you think!  Just like Andrew says, “Let your yes be yes, let your no be no.”  No explanation needed, if only you live out what you say you will do!

Read more of James 5

Dear Father God, I pray that I will be a woman of my word.  Please show me where I have lacked the discipline to follow through on something I said I would do.  Help me to daily examine my actions! 

Letting my YES be Yes and my NO be No!