Promises, promises

Our weekly devotional was centered around Ecclesiastes 5:4 - "When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow." Pretty heavy stuff for a bunch of teenagers. We talked each night about the promises that God has made to us and how we should turn to him in all times, trust that he will meet our needs, and he has a plan for us. We tried to convey to the students that world may meet you needs temporarily, only God can will be there all the time. So it's easy as we pretty much in a "Christian Utopia" so to speak on this trip. We pray before every meal, pray when we get to a worksite, pray in small group, fellowship without any outside distractions from technology, and scream out "We love you Jesus!" before jumping in the ocean with our clothes on at 8:30 at night. It's easy to be a Christian when you're on this trip, and last night one of the activities is to make a promise about what you're going to do when you get home to keep this fire going. And for two weeks now, I've heard a lot of students say they were going to share their story, attend church more frequently, and not put God in a box on a shelf. But now is the hard part. Going home. Distractions. Friends. Phones. You name. There are countless ways for these young (and some old) people to begin to turn away from God. And as I said during the closing service, making and keeping promises and commitments defines who you are. Your character is based on how well you keep your commitments. So many young people are concerned with making everyone else happy that they will say whatever it takes, not realizing that their word is their vow. And whether you are the one making the promise or having the promise made to you, we just throw it out there without thinking about the consequences. Choosing friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, and making life decisions are around every corner for these kids. We can only remind them that what they do now is a reflection on their character. How do you want people to think about you? Someone who can't be trusted? Someone who allows others to walk all over you? God does not like to be made to look foolish, and I don't think we do as well. So next time you have are faced with a situation, choose your words wisely. "It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it." Ecclesiastes 5:5. So for all of you who promised to bring someone next year or promise to join for the first time, you know where to find me because I'll be waiting for you.