“Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times of trouble is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot.” Proverbs 25:19 NLT
RANT WARNING!
Leave it to Proverbs to give us the raw, straight-up truth about relationships and the struggles we have maintaining them. This might seem like a common sense, a “no-duh,” concept. Believe me, we try to apply grace and allow ourselves to give them just “one more chance,” but we end up chewing food with a broken tooth, when it comes to trusting a friend to come through for us. Why do we do it? We want to give the benefit of the doubt, assume positive intent, but deep down we know – they won’t come through. Wisdom must snicker at us with this reminder – “sure, give it another go,” if you enjoy chewing your food with a broken tooth! Or, you just love waking around on a sprained ankle! Ouch!
Honestly, when I read this Proverb, I don’t review a list of friends that are unreliable. When I read this, I see MYSELF! I ask myself, am I unreliable? Over the last decade I have been working hard, committing to a difficult principle – “say what I’m going to do, then do it!” I think it’s one of the most important leadership qualities one could possess. If you say it, then do it! Quit making grand promises that are never fulfilled, grand ideas that may start but never finish. Say it, do it. That’s it. If I say I will be there, then I should be there! If I say I will help, then I help. It’s a matter of keeping our word and following through with our promises. What about emergencies, or unforeseen circumstances? Sure, that happens and there are some things beyond our control. But people can accommodate those when they are real and rare. It’s the always late with lame excuses or promises made but something always “happens” to come up. I don’t want to be the person, the friend, that makes OTHERS chew food with broken teeth or limp with a sprained ankle! I want to be a person that keeps their word – that says it and does it!
I can see how this trustworthiness reflects on how God works with us. He makes promises and keeps them. God says something will happen, and it absolutely happens! God is true to His word, and we should be doing the same. I want to be a word keeper not a promise breaker.
Prayer
Dad,
I know it is hard to commit and to keep our word when life is so fast. We just get exhausted when constantly saying “yes” to too many things. I need a lot of help when it comes to keeping my word. I think it builds character, I know it builds trust from others. We seem to be short on both these days. I can be thankful that you are always trustworthy to keep your word and follow through with your promises! Great is your faithfulness Lord unto me.