DEVO TIONAL Be Careful What You Say by PASTOR HAYDEN NORRIS


And the king of Israel an- swered, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself like he who takes it off’” (1 Kings 20:11).


In a world where everyone


thinks they are great and exceptional, the things we promise to do often don’t get done. We like to tell peo- ple our plans and then promptly forget what the plans are. While this is deemed “normal” in many sectors of the business world, this must not be so for the believer in Jesus Christ.


There is a great section in 1 Kings 20 that illus-


trates this truth perfectly. The head of the Syrian army is bragging about how he will defeat the army of Israel. He starts pressing demands on the King of Israel, wicked Ahab. Ahab concedes to many of the demands until the commander tries to cheat him by taking more than he had originally asked for. Ahab says, “No more!” The Syrian king readies his army and threatens Ahab and the people of Israel. He tells him that he is going to wipe out Israel and the king as well. This is when Ahab delivers this great truth found in 1 Kings


20:11. My summary of this profound statement is that it is easy to brag about what you are going to do before you do it; the proof in your ability is in the completion of the action. The proof is in the pudding!


We need to take this warning to heart. We must


not be like the Syrian king, boasting about what we are going to do tomorrow and then not doing it. This king certainly tried to destroy Israel. He was soundly defeated not once, but twice.


If you say that you are going to pray for someone,


do it! If you tell your kids that you are going to take


them somewhere, take them! If you say to your neighbor “we need to have you


over for dinner sometime,” have them over for dinner! We must not be people that say one thing and do


another. We must not over promise and under deliver. Say what you mean and mean what you say!


Pastor Hayden Norris was installed as lead pastor


at Crosspoint Bible Church in Omaha, Nebraska, on September 12, 2021.


FELLOWSHIP FOCUS, OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021 8


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