Keep it Simple, Sweetheart

SCRIPTURE: But I tell you, do not swear an oath 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 with or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.  Matthew 5:34-37 NIV

THOUGHT: When we start adding commentary to our answers, we start to lose people. Often we start to sound like we are excusing ourselves or trying to justify, which sends up the red flags. We might be double-talking, hoping someone will take a hint and guess at our answer. Or, we might be stalling, hoping they’ll go ask someone else their question. Jesus said all the extra words and oaths and promises are actually evil – pretty strong language, and that should make us think twice about the KISS method…keep it simple, sweetheart.

PRAYER: My ‘yes’ and ‘no’ can get complicated and convoluted, Lord. Thank you for the reminder that I don’t need to back up my words with lots of other words, promises, or fancy footwork. Make my heart pure and my answers simple, and forgive me for all the excuses and justification and double-talk you’ve so often heard from my lips.

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Blogger Amy Clemens is the author of Walking When You’d Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall. In it she explores childhood sexual abuse and how it impacted her faith (or lack thereof) for four decades. You’ll find not only her story, but better yet, the Big Story of God.

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