Yes and No

Jesus said let your yes be yes and your no, no. He said it to say that swearing by just about anything is pointless.

It always seemed such an ideal statement. If every person said yes and meant yes or said no and meant no, then yes, there would be no further need for swearing. Yet this world is not that world. In this place, full of lies and willing deceit, an honest person needs to convey his true faithfulness.

Recently, though, an idea came. For the true follower of Christ, perhaps there is more to this concept of yes and no. The disciple is called to be honest, full of integrity and grace. Yet people stumble. Without exception, they stumble. Jesus knew this certainty well, so He taught to it.

If a believer is asked where he was or what he was doing and he responds with some wildly fabricated tale, what Jesus said makes little difference. The sincerity of faith may itself be questioned. Even if Jesus wanted to make a difference in this situation, one wonders if He could.

Yet what of a believer asked a question of expectation? If he is specifically asked if he was where he should have been, knowing wholeheartedly that he was not, how simple is the response? Yes. As much deceit as the teller of tales, yet so much easier and, seemingly, so much sweeter. For this reason Jesus said it—guard even your yes and your no. Sometimes even one such stone can tumble an entire house of integrity. Sometimes, it can do far, far worse.