You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14, NIV)
Here’s a story about a boy named Sam and his friend Johnny: One day Sam’s mother asked him what he would like to do for his birthday. “I’d like to have a party and a sleepover,” said Sam.
When Sam’s mom asked who he wanted to come for the sleepover, Sam knew right away. “I want Johnny to come; he’s my best friend.”
So the next day Sam asked Johnny, “Will you come to my party and stay for a sleepover? You’re my best friend, and you are the only one I’ve invited.” Johnny was excited and he promised that he would come.
But a few days before the party, Luke, another classmate, said, “Hey Johnny, I’m having a party and I’d really like you to come. It’s going to be at Chuck E. Cheese’s ™. Everybody’s going to be there. Then we’re all coming back to my place for a sleepover.”
Johnny loved Chuck E. Cheese’s, and when he found out that all his other friends were going to Luke’s party, he said, “That sounds great. When’s the party?”
“It’s on Friday,” said Luke. Johnny didn’t know what to do. He had promised to go to Sam’s party, but now he felt like he wanted to go to Luke’s.
Later Johnny saw Sam on the playground, “Sam, I’m not sure if I can come to your party. Luke asked me to go to his party and I really want to go.” Sam didn’t know what to say.
When Sam got home, he couldn’t stop crying: “Johnny told me he was coming to my party,” he told his mom. “He promised!” Then, after a while, Sam got angry. “I don’t care if Johnny doesn’t come to my party. I hate him, and he’s never going to be my best friend again.”
Johnny wasn’t happy either, so he decided to talk to his dad about it: “Dad, I wanted to go to Sam’s party on Friday, but now I’ve been invited to Luke’s party too. Luke’s party is at Chuck E. Cheese’s and lots of cool people are going, but I told Sam I’d come to his party. I promised.”
“Hmm…” said his dad. “You made a promise, and then you got what seems like a better offer. This is a big decision.” Then his dad said, “Johnny, what if I got a better offer for a wife? You know there are a lot of really smart women at my office, and some of them are really friendly.”
“You can’t do that, Dad!” said Johnny. “You made a promise to Mom.”
“That’s right,” his dad said, “and that’s why it’s really important that we learn to keep our promises, even when we are young.”
Early the next morning, Johnny phoned Sam. “Sam, I’m sorry I upset you by talking about Luke’s party. If you still want me to come to your party, I’d really like to come.”
Johnny had a blast at Sam’s party. In fact, he had so much fun that he didn’t even think about Luke’s party at Chuck E. Cheese’s.
A few days later, Johnny got a text from Sam: “Thanks for making my party the best I’ve ever had.” Johnny smiled to himself. He felt good inside, and he was so glad he’d kept his promise.
That’s what the seventh commandment is all about – keeping your promise.
Can you think of a time when it cost you something to keep your promise?
