STOP AND THINK – One’s mere word should be as trustworthy as a signed agreement attested by legal witnesses. (Curtis Vaughan, late seminary professor and author)
Why are legally complex contracts necessary today when once you needed only a handshake or a man’s promise? That could be true only because the character of those making the contract was beyond reproach. Their reputation guaranteed the fulfillment of their promise. Regrettably, such integrity seems all too scarce in modern society.
Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” (James 5:12)