And don’t say anything you don’t mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, “I’ll pray for you,” and never doing it, or saying, “God be with you,” and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong. [The Message, Eugene Peterson, trans., Matthew 5:34-37]

Fidelity to every trust

Am I as good as my word? Not always.

If I commit to something, do I follow through? Not without exception, and sometimes begrudgingly.

Today, I will do my best to honor God’s gift of the people I meet, speak to, and think of. I’ll do my best to love the world and put in the work to leave it a better place. I won’t kid myself or others by shifting the blame to God or covering up the my shortcomings with church words or theatrics.

[For the complete prayer, click A Morning Resolve above.]