My Greatest Generation father used to make a distinction between making a promise and giving one’s word. They oughtn’t be different, but he emphasized, “You should be able to count the number of times in your life you give your word on your two hands.”
His point was that giving your word was a sacred oath, to be reserved for the most important commitments of your life, not to be doled out capriciously.
Look at your spouse at the altar and say the words, “I do.” You’re giving your word.
Place your hand on a bible and vow to defend your country. You’re giving your word.
Promise you’ll take out the garbage. That’s rather different.
Giving your word is often expensive, hard and inconvenient, and almost always has a cost. Sometimes it’s a small cost…perhaps even an economic one. At the other end of the spectrum it can have the highest cost of all – the loss of one’s life.
But it’s fundamental to integrity. And integrity is fundamental for trust. It’s also fundamental to one’s reputation, trustworthiness, respectability, dignity, and above all, self-respect. And it’s also about Honor.
These are principles in short supply these days. The constant diet of hypocrisy, deflection, half-truths and outright lies the Left argues is necessary because it serves noble ends such as “Social Justice”, “Equality”, “Fairness”, saving the planet, “freedom” (basically, amoral license to do anything at any time for any reason), etc., leaves no room for the kind of integrity I’m talking about.
That’s the moral bankruptcy of not all but most of the Left, the majority but not all politicians, lawyers, pitchmen, spin doctors and con artists. And it’s, regrettably, reflected in much of what we see on television or hear on the radio.
Giving one’s word, telling the truth, and honoring commitments are fundamental to the fabric of a free society and to growth and prosperity of us as individuals, of our communities and our nation.
Yet I expect that if someone other than a clergyman were to try to explain the merits of giving and keeping one’s word (as I am here) he or she would be laughed at, perhaps even scorned.
“Everybody does it.” “Everyone lies.” “Promises are made to be broken.”
Not true. There are plenty, perhaps even a silent majority of people in this country, who’s word is still their bond. Who will at great cost and sacrifice say what they’ll do and do what they say.
They’re unheralded, unidentified, unacknowledged, but they’re there.
May they continue to honor their commitments, keep their word, and inspire others to do the same.
Keeping one’s word matters.
