presents
the "Let's Talk About" series
presents
Let's talk about BREAKING PROMISES.
The Bible says: "Better not to vow (promise) than to vow and not pay." (Ecclesiastes 5:5 NKJ)
Have your friends ever disappointed you by not doing something they had told you they would do?
Have grownups ever disappointed you by not doing something they had told you they would do?
When people do not do what they say they will do, they are BREAKING A PROMISE.
When someone breaks a promise—
how do you feel?
what do you think?
what do you do?
When someone breaks a promise—
you may feel disappointed, frustrated and angry;
you may think that the person cannot be trusted;
you may not believe the person the next time he or she makes a promise.
It is important to treat other people the way that you want to be treated.
If you want other people to keep their promises, you will need to keep your promises.
If you keep your promises, people will be able to trust you.
When people trust you—
they can depend on you, and they know that you will not let them down;
they know that you will be honest and will not lie.
It is important to have people trust you.
If people trust you—
they will believe you;
they will not question or doubt you;
they will respect you;
they will allow you to do more on your own.
If you want people to trust you, you must show them that you can be trusted.
To show a person that you can be trusted, be where you say you will be when you say you will be there.
To show a person that you can be trusted, do what you say you will do.
To show a person that you can be trusted, give what you say you will give.
If you want to be trusted, you will need to keep your promises.
If you want to be happy, you will treat other people the way you want to be treated.
This means that you will keep your promises because you want other people to keep theirs.
A Bible example of people who BROKE THEIR PROMISES
God called Abraham to be the father of a special group of people whom we know as the nation of Israel.
God made promises to them, and Israel in turn made promises to God. One of the most important times when they promised to obey God was when they were camped in the wilderness.
Another time was when they had taken over the Promised Land. When their leader Joshua was an old man, the people of Israel promised that they would always obey and serve God.
But they broke their promises time after time, for hundreds of years. Finally, God punished them by allowing enemy armies to capture them and take them far away from their homes.
God expects us to keep the promises we make. "A man who makes a vow to the LORD or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do." (Numbers 30:2 NTL)
