Lessons From LeviticusMuestra

Integrity, God, and my Neighbor

Leviticus 5:4–6 - Or suppose someone makes a promise to do something without thinking it through. It does not matter what they promised. It does not matter whether they made the promise without thinking about it carefully. And suppose they are not aware that they did not think it through. When they find out about it, they will be guilty. When someone is guilty in any of those ways, they must admit they have sinned. They must bring a sin offering to pay for the sin they have committed. They must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat from the flock. The priest will sacrifice the animal. That will pay for the person’s sin. (NIrV)

When we let people down, we usually apologize to the people we have let down. In this passage, we are told that the people of God were supposed to make an offering to God after over-committing themselves. This reveals to us that our integrity and word matter to God. Whenever we break our word, we become less believable to the people around us. As Christians, we are Christ’s ambassadors, meaning that we are his representatives here on earth.

2 Corinthians 5:20 - So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us; we [as Christ’s representatives] plead with you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God. (AMP)

Our truce-breaking does not only reflect badly on our own character but also on the character of God. Perhaps this is why Jesus taught us that our yes should mean yes and our no should mean no.

Matthew 5:37 - But make sure your statement is, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil origin. (NASB)

Questions: How often do I break my word? Do I regularly overextend myself? Am I aware that I am reflecting both my own and God’s character by breaking my word?