"Why should I keep my word?” spoke Thorin Oakenshield while in the thrall of dragon fever. In the movie “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” Thorin lost his mind for a while because of the taint of evil surrounding the gold treasure that became his after the dragon was killed. When the villagers and elves arrived to claim what he had promised them for their help he went back on his word and refused to give them their share. His honor was lost to the seductive power of the wealth under his control.

How many of us always keep our word? That’s part of what makes the account of Jephthah’s vow so difficult to deal with – he was going to keep it. In Judges 11:30-31 he made an oath to God to sacrifice the first thing that came out his door when returning home - if God would grant him victory over the Ammonites. To his horror it was a person - his only daughter (Judges 11:34-35). Yet, even as he cried in dismay there was no hint of breaking his word; “for I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.”

Today we have such a cavalier attitude about the truth and our promises that we’re offended that he would even consider keeping his promise and even more that he actually went through with it. At least Thorin had the excuse of dragon fever clouding his mind and keeping him from thinking clearly. What’s ours? We have no excuse whatsoever. Seriously, we may be offended by Thorin’s actions, but let's be honest with ourselves we do the same thing for far less. And, whatever we may think about Jephthah’s vow, we have to acknowledge that on top of his bravery in battle he was committed to keeping his word. Both put us to shame. No matter how much it pained him he wouldn't go back on his oath.

The lesson for all of us is first to develop the wisdom to be careful with our promises and commitments, and second, to build the strength of character to keep them.