James 5:12

James isn’t talking here about bad language but about the very common practice at the time of trying to strengthen a statement by taking an oath. Jews made a distinction between oaths made in the name of God, which could never be broken, and other oaths that didn’t mention God, which could be broken. James encourages his readers to make life much easier by simply telling the truth.

The Greeks held that the best guarantee of any statement was not an oath, but the character of the person who made it. Our words are the natural overflow of the lives that we live and so if we live with integrity, people will know that they can trust our words. If we always keep promises, then people will know that the next promise that we make can be relied upon.

Speaking the truth is the fundamental building block for every relationship. When relationships break down it is almost always accompanied by lies and deception. The only way to bring a relationship back on course is by learning to speak the truth. This will often be painful and difficult, but it is the only route to build a solid, strong relationship.

This also applies to our relationship with God. We need to be honest with him, not putting on a mask, but acknowledging the people that we really are. This can be difficult to do, but when we remember that God perfectly loves us and is ready to forgive us for all our sins, we can come to him with complete honesty and total confidence.

In a world where the truth is often distorted or ignored, it is vital that we live truthfully before God and that we seek his strength to enable us to say yes when we mean yes, and no when we mean no. Oaths are totally unnecessary.

Question

When do you find it difficult to tell the truth?

Prayer

Thank you Lord that I can be totally truthful with you and know that you will always love me and forgive me. Help me to speak the truth in every situation, even when it is tough to do so. Amen