Today in sports we read a lot about free agencies. By this we mean an athlete whose contract to play with a particular team has expired and the contract is up for renewal. Today this also usually means a renegotiating of the compensation package for the player.
Most recently we have seen the spectacle of Lebron James choosing to sign with a new team, the Miami Heat much to the chagrin and consternation of his now former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. I’m not looking to bash “King James” because from a business standpoint he had every right to look at all of his options and make his decision based upon how close the various teams came to the contract Lebron had in mind.
While I can’t fault him for making his decision, I can and will suggest that he could have handled himself in a more circumspect way. That alone would have softened the blow to his former team, front office and the
Now what would bother me would be if several months after signing his new contract Lebron received a better offer and he decided to accept this new contract and renege on his first new one that he had duly signed and executed.
How would the Heat, his new team, feel about his breaking his word and the legal contract?
What would it say about his character and maturity?
Could his new team ever trust his word to fully execute his part of the contract?
Though provoking questions, aren’t they?
Now suppose the person in question is a follower of Christ and they were going to break their word.
What would you think of them?
What would Jesus think of them?
Could you ever trust them?
But, you say, they can do so much more for the Lord by breaking their word!
Really?
Dr. Bob Jones Sr. used to say that “it’s never right to do wrong to do right!”
Jesus says don’t break your oath! He insists that your word is your bond. Matthew 5:33-37 & James 5:12.
The Psalmist in Psalm 15:4 says that people who are approved by God are willing to keep their vows even when it hurts emotionally, mentally or even sexually.
It’s easy to keep a vow when it doesn’t hurt you – but what if it means loosing money, or skipping that after the game party because you promised your parents you would come right home after the game or you pass up on that dream job of a lifetime.
Well it can’t be that bad, can it? To break your word? Well James 4:17 says that if you know what’s right but refuse to do it – God says it’s a sin!
Free agency is a choice but once the choice is made and you live it out your character will shine through.
Living in accordance to God’s Word is often inconvenient but it’s always righteous way to go!
Inconveniently Yours,
Pastor Val
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