Mark of Character…

"So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." – Isaiah 55:11.

A teacher would always emphasize the importance of keeping our word and our promises. She said, "It is a mark of character." Unfortunately, the following story illustrates far too many people in today's "hang-loose" society.

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There was a rich young man who became critically ill and was taken to the hospital. His condition worsened, and his doctor told him that he wasn't sure if he'd recover, but that they would do all they could for him.

The man was terrified and said to the doctor, 'Please, doctor, do everything you can, I don't want to die, I have so much to do yet in life, and if you can help me get better, I'll even donate $10,000 to the fund for the new hospital.'

The young man happily began to improve and recovered, and a few weeks later was released and went home.

Several months later he ran into the doctor who asked him how he was doing. The young man said, 'Doc, I haven't felt better any time in my life.'

The doctor said, 'That's great because I wanted to remind you about the promise you made to donate money to the new hospital fund. You remember you said if you got well, you'd like to donate $10,000. We could really use that now.'

The young man said, “Man, if I said that, I must have been really sick."

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Keeping one's word and his/her promises is indeed a mark of character.

When someone asks me, "What about your promises to God? Do you keep them? My conscience pricks.

Does yours?

Nevertheless, let us be a person of our word and always keep up to our promises, especially with God.

May it be said of you and me, "He/she is a man/woman of word," and/or "If he/she says he/she'll do it, you can count on him/her to do it."

Consequently, our Father in heaven who sees all this will say:

"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things;

I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master's happiness." - Matthew 25:23. 

Stay Blessed!