Yes or no?
by Tatiana Overduin
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All you need to say is simply, ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one (Matthew 5:37).
Read Matthew 5:27–37
It makes sense these days to keep things simple. ‘Yes, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow’ OR ‘No, I won’t be able to make it’. I was only talking with a friend yesterday who explained how her Christian friend didn’t respond to her invitation but just ignored it – that was her way of saying ‘No’. My friend felt cheated, ignored and unvalued. Why not speak the truth and simply say, ‘Thank you for your invitation, but I’m unavailable’? When did this become so difficult to do?
When I taught in the classroom, I noticed a growing increase in the lack of honesty among some students. It’s perpetuated in our modern culture, isn’t it? What some people don’t realise is that honesty can be extremely empowering. It doesn’t have to be impolite. Just authentically liberating.
My friend and I spent time watching some popular TV shows based around criminal activity, and the overriding theme was that the criminal was not fessing up! Of course, the twisted, chaotic and extremely frustrating plotlines revealed that, in the end, the criminal was revealed, caught and compelled to confess.
Confession can be a frightening prospect without God’s help. In the Book of James, chapter 5, we read: ‘Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.’ Jesus reiterates in our Bible text reference today the healing power of honesty: Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’!
We are sinful. We make mistakes – sometimes big ones that can have a lasting consequence. But confession and seeking our neighbour’s forgiveness and God’s forgiveness is the healing way: it is God’s way. May we seek God’s way daily as we live in relationship with others in our lives.
Merciful God, we are so grateful, and we give you thanks that we can ask for your help and forgiveness when we sin against our neighbour and against you. We know we are sinful and inevitably do wrong, even when we try to do the right thing. Teach us to be honest. Gift us with your grace to confess our sins to one another and you. Let our ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and our ‘No’ be ‘No’. Empower us with your strength to face the truth, even when we feel embarrassed or ashamed by our sinful behaviours. Thank you for the saving power of the cross. Thank you that we can turn to you daily and call on you to help and save us. May all that is within us praise your holy name. To God be all honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Tatiana is married to Jim, and they live at Largs North, a seaside location in Adelaide. They have two adult children and six grandchildren. This year, Tatiana looks forward to spending more time building her art therapy/knitting business, writing, gardening and enjoying an early morning beach walk. Tatiana gained a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Australian Lutheran College in 1996. Both Tatiana and Jim attend worship at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide.
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