Oh Im sorry, but Diane deals with accounts, and shes in a meeting right now. Ill get her to phone you back later.
If you are living in the 21st century, you will definitely not expect a return call from Diane. You might wonder whether the receptionist actually gave her the message, or whether the message was simply ignored. Either way, you will have to call again.
This is the way weve come to expect things, but it results in more phone calls, more time wasted, more irritation, less credibility and less service.
Do we take our own words seriously, or do we sometimes make promises just to escape an awkward situation? I must confess Ive done that before, and then felt embarrassed when Im reminded that I promised to deliver a message, or pay the account by a certain date.
If youre a parent, have you heard your child say, But Mommy (or Daddy), YOU PROMISED!
Jesus told a parable about a farmer who asked his two sons to go and work in his vineyard. The elder son replied, No, I wont go, but he changed his mind and went anyway. The other son said, Yes, sir, but he didnt go (Matthew 21:28-30 NLT). The Pharisees whom Jesus was addressing, clearly understood that it was the first son who did his fathers will. The younger son wanted to look good, so he instantly responded in the way he knew would please his father. However, he didnt take his own words seriously.
During the time of Josephs imprisonment (Genesis 40) he interpreted the dreams of Pharaohs butler and baker. The baker met a miserable end as Joseph predicted, but the butler was restored to his position and took part in Pharaohs birthday celebrations. As the butler walked happily out of the prison door, Josephs last words to him were, And please remember me and do me a favour when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so he might let me out of this place Im here in prison but did nothing to deserve it (Genesis 40:14,15 NLT).
Although the Bible account does not specifically mention the butlers response to that request, he no doubt would have wished to honour the man who had given him such good news. But typically, he clean forgot about Joseph when things turned around for him. Two years later when Pharaoh had his prophetic dreams, the butler remembered with some embarrassment, about Joseph, and his own shortcomings in failing to mention him to Pharaoh.
Trapped by his own words
Herod the tetrarch, who ruled Judea during Jesus ministry, probably made one of the rashest promises in recorded history. On his birthday, he promised a young dancer whatever she wanted, so taken was he with her performance. Her gory request had him wishing hed never spoken when, prompted by her mother, she asked for John the Baptists head on a platter. Distressed though he was, Herod felt obliged to honour her request. After all, his dinner guests had heard him utter those fateful words. Talk about a slip of the tongue!
And then there was Peter, who promised he would never fall away from following Jesus, even if everyone else did. Jesus repeated that this very night before the cock crows you will disown me three times. Almost as though he didnt hear Jesus, Peter said, Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you (Matthew 26: 31, 34, 35).
We all know how Peter fell into the trap of his own words, and how he wept bitterly when the cock crowed.
So how can we do our best to avoid speaking unreliable words?
1.Ask for a reminder, e.g. I will gladly pick you up on Sunday, but please remind me on Saturday.
2.Write it down somewhere where you regularly check your to do list.
3.Dont take on more than you think you can handle.
Fortunately Jesus has already forgiven all our verbal blunders, past present and future, but if we take our own words seriously, we will go a long way to making others lives easier.