Truthful Living

I grew up the youngest of five children. I was naughty and rebellious. My parents were both godly people. I think they struggled to manage me sometimes.

I have very vivid memories of my growing up. One day, when I had just decorated my bedroom, I expressed (probably quite forcefully) that I wanted a sheep-skin rug for my bedroom floor.  Such a thing cost too much.  But then my father said that, if I raised half the money, he would add the rest! I was so thrilled!  I hurried off to find paper and pen, and he duly signed my paper which I stashed away for the future. Years later, when I was a student, my dear Daddy so happily stumped up his cash and the rug was mine!

This incident has remained vivid to me because I knew that, what my father promised, he always did. In all my rebelliousness, my father’s total dependability in keeping his word was a huge anchor of my security.

I knew that every week he would put all his loose cash into the ‘Missionary box’. I knew that, if he said he would meet me off the train when I returned from a trip away, he would always be there – and on time.  If he made a promise, he would keep it.  You see, my father knew that keeping his word was something of great importance to God. Because one of the unchanging qualities of our God is that He is a promise-keeping God. We’re to be like Him.

 ‘When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to bind himself to a pledge,
he must not break his word but must do everything he said.’  (Numbers 30:2).

‘Let our lives lovingly express truth in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly.  Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him who is the Head, Christ the Messiah, the Anointed One’ (Ephesians 4:15, Amp).