“A Promise to Keep”

Friday, March 22, 2019

I watched an episode from the TV series, “Gunsmoke”, which happened to be episode 21 from season 20 entitled “I HAVE PROMISES TO KEEP.”  The show originally aired on March 3, 1975 – I was 3 years old then, and 44 years later this episode made me think about my responsibility as a Christian.  This particular show is a great episode about a preacher who wants to build a church for native Americans on a small reserve but is met with bigotry from the citizens of a nearby town.  

As I was watching this show, Festus is having a discussion with the old preacher after having faced so much difficulty about building the church on the reserve.  Festus says something to the preacher about how he should be memorizing scripture instead of trying to build a church and help people. The preacher’s response is priceless.  He tells Festus, “THE TIME I COULD USE MEMORIZING THE BIBLE WOULD BE BETTER SPENT TRYING TO DO THE GOOD IT RECOMMENDED!”

That particular thought resonates in my mind and is certainly a common thought throughout the New

Testament.  Please don’t think that I DON’T value the importance of knowing God’s word and committing it to the heart. However, understand that I am saying that if we memorize, quote, and even share God’s word but never lift a finger to do the good it prescribes, then our efforts would appear meaningless.  The old

adage, “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” is so very true.

Jesus was one who, “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). As disciples of Jesus we are told to also “do good to all men” and “not grow weary” while doing so (Galatians 6:9-10).  James admonishes to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22).  Our Lord says, “Everyone who hears these sayings of mine, and DOES them, I will liken to a wise man…” (Matthew 7:24).

I believe the old preacher gave some pretty good advice and we would do well to follow it!!

Share