Have you ever known someone that when they told you something, they followed it with a “no, really”, or “this time I mean it”. I knew an outdoorsman that when they told me about their adventure, they always had to say, “It’s the truth this time”. They never really convinced me. I had heard them stretch the truth so many times with others I could never believe anything they told me. (By the way, it’s no one you know.)
Just in case you have made it this far, this isn’t about telling the truth. It’s all about the easiest word to say and what that word really means. It’s the easiest word to say, because it generally makes people feel better. It makes them think that their needs are important, that their thoughts are valuable.
So what is that all important word? The word is “yes”.
There’s nothing like asking a friend for a favor and hearing “yes”. It really makes you realize how important you are and how kind the other person is for hearing you and answering the call.
When you say “yes” to a friend or at work, you can really feel you are meeting a need, helping move things forward, contributing to a greater good.
All those are great things.
So where is the problem? Although it’s the easiest word to say, it’s the hardest to keep. Because saying yes makes us feel so good, it can often get us in trouble. Have you ever said yes and later figured out there was no way you could follow through and keep your word? Have you ever said yes and realized you really had no intention of doing what you said?
This is nothing new. The problem of making this little word count has been around a long time. Jesus even addressed it. In Matthew 5:37 Jesus said “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.” It couldn’t be clearer than that. As followers of Christ, our word should be absolute, not in just telling the truth, but in keeping our Yes’s and No’s.
When our word really counts, we never have to say “I mean it this time”, or “No really”. So next time you have the opportunity to say yes to someone, think carefully about the weight of that single, most important word.
Make your word count.
Blessings
