STAY TRUE TO YOUR WORDS

Reference text: Malachi 1:14b-2:2b,8-10

Malachi 1:14 ‘ Cursed be the cheater, who after promising me a bull from his herd, sacrifices a stunted animal’

I got the chance to watch a short documentary yesterday about a number of couples who had been married for a minimum of four decades. As one would expect, both parties knew of each others flaws but the ones that did not emerge from this piece as flaws were ‘dishonesty and any breach of trust’.

This is because many people may be able to put up with a wide range of things and learn to see past them, but dishonesty and breach of trust are among the few which when intrude a relationship, can push it to the point of no return. They are like stones that can easily crash the glass castles of delicately nurtured relationships which have taken years of hard work to put up. Hence the hard words spoken.

Malachi appears to pronounce a curse on a certain group of people- those who promise to offer a bull and turn around to sacrifice a stunted animal. People who appear to promise their very best but offer everything short of that. That, my dear, is a clear example of breach of trust and not only does it apply to God who was the recipient of the sacrifice; but will also be seen in our attitudes towards other people.

Sweetheart, you may be able to work your way back into many relationships after a lot of things, but dishonesty and a breach of trust may just be the straw that broke the camel’s back so be careful.

Remember # you cannot promise to give your best and then intentionally present your worst. That will be a breach of trust.

#sly