How often do you hear someone (or say yourself), “I swear …”? Oftentimes, people seem to use the phrase flippantly, as if to draw attention to what they are saying (“I swear, could this day get any worse?!” or “I swear I’ll never finish this stupid assignment!”)

What’s really the point in swearing something?

The dictionary defines the verb swear as “to make a solemn dedication or affirmation” or “to bind oneself by oath.” To swear is to make a promise/vow/irrevocable commitment. The mid-90s ballad by R&B band All-4-One (and in more recent years, John Michael Montgomery) uses the phrase “I swear …” to express a lover’s commitment—the type of vow that people exchange in a wedding ceremony. That’s a lot different from swearing about the weather or homework, isn’t it?

The Bible advises us in a couple of places to let our yes mean yes and our no mean no. In James 5, the reference is to suffering and our need to persevere with patience, because God is faithful. In other words, when God makes a promise, he holds fast to it. He will do it—no ifs, ands or buts!

Matthew 5 mentions oaths among a litany of other dos and don’ts, warning that swearing by anything—by heaven, earth or even your own name—is evil. I think the gist of Matthew 5:33-37 is similar to what the Greek playwright, Aeschylus, is credited with saying: “It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man the oath.” If we always mean yes when we say yes and always mean no when we say no, then we do not need to swear by anything, because our integrity will stand for us.

Let’s be mindful of the promises we make this week. Let us be people of integrity whose actions validate our words.