When a man makes a vow to the Lord or swears an oath to put himself under an obligation, he must not break his word; he must do whatever he has promised. ~Numbers 30:2
In the late ‘90s, it had been a long time since I had bought a new car. Given all the obligations of the previous several years—college tuition, to name a monster—I had opted to drive my car a lot longer than I really wanted to.
But now we saw our way clear to trade up for a new car. The appointment with the salesman was set for midafternoon. All morning, even though I had some important meetings to attend, I could not concentrate. You know the feeling.
The salesman seemed competent. I narrowed my options from a parking lot full of cars and we had a deal. Almost. I wanted a few additional things, including the upgraded sound system, the traction package—oh, and a little better price.
My friend, the salesman, made a few notes on his sales sheet and then gave me the inevitable, “I’ll have to check with the sales manager.”
“I knew it,” I muttered to myself when he was out of sight. Why do these guys al- ways do this? I wasn’t asking for that much. Why don’t they make these decisions on their own?
The Bible passage today is an interesting one. In the culture of that day, a husband or a dad had the power to reverse a vow his wife or his daughter had made if he didn’t agree with what she had promised. Setting aside, for a moment, how different that culture is from our own, an interesting principle is at work here—an idea that carries a critical message for husbands, dads, and for men in general: your promises affect your loved ones. And every promise your children and close friends make has an impact on you. In a family, no one person lives in isolation. Not only do our bodies inhabit the same space, but our words also live together!
Just as the car salesman’s agreement has an effect on the dealership’s profits, the things you commit to in a family have an impact on you and your family’s bottom line.
You may be about to make an important decision. If you’re married, you may think you have the right to make it by yourself; that you have the authority to do what you think is right, and then report what you’ve done to your wife and family.
Today’s message may be just for you. Take your decision to your family before yousign anything. Ask them for their help. Listen carefully to their input.
Someday your children will make life-altering decisions—college, vocation, or spouse. They’ll remember that you came to them with your big decisions, so it will only be natural for them to come to you with theirs.