Economy of words

But I tell you, Do not swear at all…  Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Mt. 5.34,37

Jesus continues to unfold His great plan for Christian living in His Sermon on the Mount.  Here He is looking at the question of oaths, especially the promises we make to God. 

This instruction is liberating on two counts.  Firstly, Jesus is telling me to keep it simple.  A yes or a no will suffice. Long and wordy discourses cloud the issue rather than clear it.  Secondly, Jesus is telling me that a “no” response is OK.  I don’t always have to be a “yes man”.  This means I can save my yeses for when I really know it is the right thing to say and mean.  A simple Yes or No is all that is required.  In fact anything more has cloudy motives invariably fueled by the devil.

Lord Jesus, You know how I can babble, even to You.  Give me economy of words and freedom of heart that my Yes means Yes and my No means No.

Little Flower, please pray for me.