The time we are in is a time of “promise an hope”… hearing many promises and hoping that the promises will be fulfilled. But most now are “all talk and no action”. Hope is a nice thing to give someone… but only when is completed by the joy of having that promise fulfilled. Better yet is to be so eager to help that the gift is received before the promise can be spoken.
Proverbs provides wisdom concerning promises but it is obscured some by the wording in King James:
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12, KJV)
The Septuagint more clearly shows the way of righteousness in its wording:
Better is he that begins to help heartily, than he that promises and leads [another] to hope: for a good desire is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12, LXXE)
Broken promises fall into two categories: promises that you had intent to keep but could not complete (example: the person dies the promise could be actualized); and promises that you could have kept but did not.
Broken promises are then summarized into two categories: the promises that you had some intent on keeping but just never made it a priority; promises that you had no intent on keeping, but just used the promise as false hope in order to acquire something from the deceived.
The next two verses in Proverbs give insight into the Almighty’s thoughts of empty promises:
He that slights a matter shall be slighted of it: but he that fears the commandment has health [of soul]. To a crafty son there shall be nothing good: but a wise servant shall have prosperous doings, and his way shall be directed aright. The law of the wise is fountain of life: but the man void of understanding shall die by a snare. Proverbs 13:13-14, LXXE)
Understand that a broken promise is another term for a lie. Our Savior clearly states that none who lie will enter into the eternal New Jerusalem:
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. (Revelation 22:14-15)
Messiah’s words are truth for this time: This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.
A promise to someone is honoring Him with your lips but the heart of the matter is to perform that promise… to bless that person in need and to have good fruit to bear unto the King of Kings:
…thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself… (Leviticus 19:18)
…Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. (Matthew 25:40)
There is still a little time to submit to our Father, to repent and recompense… see the example of Zacchaeus in Luke 19.
Each of us chooses our path. Choose wisely…choose His way.