Join us this week as we learn about the essentials for promise-making with others. Our anchor passage is Matthew 5:33-37. Message Notes: Q: Recall a time you really needed someone to seriously keep her/his word? What happened? Read Matthew 5:33-37 + Proverbs 12:22 + Proverbs 6:16-17 + John 8:44 & John 14:6. Q: Based on the above verses, how would you describe a biblical view of integrity and honesty? What are the core character descriptors? Probing Qs to check your own integrity and honesty: Do I polish my work to make it look better than it really is? Do I bury the facts and guarantees in legal mumbo-jumbo? Am I “fine print” kind of person? Do I make big claims I know I really can’t deliver? Do people know me as a person of my word? Do I say what I mean and mean what I say? Do I follow through, even if it costs me? Is what I am saying reflective of reality inside me? Q: Which of the above is most stirring, convicting, and bothersome? Why? Q: Which of the above is most affirming and encouraging to answer? We all struggle with integrity in certain arenas and seasons of life. Explore Psalm 51:5-7, 1 John 1:9, and Colossians 2:13-14. Wrap up Q: How do these verses supply hope, progress, and forward momentum regarding integrity? Get Ready for Next Week: Read Matthew 5 each day. Give special focus and meditation to vs. 38-48.