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    The nature of Jephthah’s vow and its consequences are an item of much debate among many religious scholars, and I will leave the resolution of that debate to their far more skilled hands. Yet, in the story of that vow, there is an important lesson for us.
    It is not accidental that Jesus commanded us to “Let your ‘yes’ be yes, and your ‘no’ be no.†[ Matthew 5:33-37]. This is because oaths are a sacred trust before God, and such trust should not be invoked brashly or for some personal gain.
    Instead, our actions and words should speak for themselves. Our ‘yeses’ and ‘noes’ should reflect a life dedicated to the righteousness of God, which is already unambiguous and true. When we have dedicated ourselves to that course, what need to we have for oaths?
DLH
