Stop Covering Up Bad Food

One day, I was eating in a restaurant with a bad reputation.

A friend warned me not to order spicy dishes. When I asked why, he said, “Sometimes, this restaurant will serve food that’s not fresh. Food that’s about to

go bad. And the way they’ll do it is they’ll use it for their spicy dishes. Because

the spice will cover up any bad flavor. You won’t notice it tastes bad.”

That’s what people do with our words. We use vows, oaths, and flowery

words to cover up untruth.

There’s nothing wrong with spices. I love spicy food. But the food itself has

to be good. In the same way, there’s nothing wrong with vows and oaths. But our every word must be truthful. Life-giving.

Get ready. This is going to be a tough and liberating talk!

Have a powerful Feast.

May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez,

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Talk's Scripture Reference: Matthew 5: 33-37 NLT

You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

Deuteronomy 6: 13 NLT

When you take an oath, you must use only his name.

Exodus 20: 7 NLT

“You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.”

Matthew 23: 16-22 NLT

“Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding. How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it. And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.

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Personal Reflection and Group Discussion:

Which of the 4 Questions struck you as most important for your life? Why?