"Do what you say you're going to do--what you say to others, and what you say to yourself."
I found this quote in a book on business connections. The counsel applies to any relationship, whether it be in the family, in the workplace, in the church. Most of us have encountered individuals who promise that they will do something, only to later find that they have failed to carry through.
It's disappointing, though not particularly surprising. Unfortunately, at times, I have been one of those individuals. I say I will do something, then don't do it. Sometimes, I have to admit, I never intended to do the thing which I promised. I just wanted to get out of an uncomfortable situation. I'm not proud of that and am consciously trying to do better. In this, as in many things, I remain a work in progress.
My shortcomings notwithstanding, I can't help observe what happens when someone doesn't carry through on a promise. Usually, the results are not particularly serious, but sometimes, they do carry heavy consequences and others pay the price for one person's failure to keep his word.
This I know for sure: keeping the promises we make, whether to others or to ourselves, is a mark of our character.
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