Do What You Said You Would Do
The title of today’s article is an English expression: DWYSYWD—“Do What You Said You Would Do.” I have remembered these seven letters for many years because they make the principle easy to remember. I first encountered this concept many years ago, and it is still vivid in my mind. More importantly, I continue to try to apply it to my own life.
A promise we make is a promise we should keep.
This may sound simple, but keeping our word is not always easy. Sometimes people make promises too casually or make commitments without carefully considering whether they can fulfill them. This is especially important for leaders in the church and for those involved in small-group and pastoral-care ministries.
In lay pastoral care, DWYSYWD is especially important. When a caregiver says, “I will visit you,” “I will call you,” or “I will see you next week,” that person should make every effort to keep that promise.
I have noticed several reasons why people fail to keep their promises.
First, some people have simply developed a habit of not keeping their word. They may break promises more frequently than others, sometimes without even realizing it. Over time, this habit damages their relationships and their credibility.
Second, some people are very busy and do not take appointments seriously. They may think, “Something else came up,” and simply change their plans without considering how their decision affects the other person.
Third, some people use excuses too often. They may sincerely intend to do something when they make the promise, but when the time comes, they offer one excuse after another. Eventually, their words become little more than lip service.
Keeping our word is important, yet it is surprisingly easy to neglect. That is a serious mistake.
If we cannot keep an appointment or fulfill a promise, we should let the other person know as early as possible. Imagine telling someone, “See you next week,” and then never showing up or never contacting them. Wouldn’t that person wait for you? Wouldn’t they wonder what happened?
This is why Dr. Melvin Steinbron emphasized this principle in the P.A.C.E. training materials. Reliability is one of the essential qualities of a caregiver. It is not something that can be replaced by good intentions or polite words.
Ultimately, keeping our promises is directly related to reliability. If we repeatedly fail to keep our commitments, our credibility suffers. And credibility is fundamental to relationships. Without trust, it is difficult to begin or maintain a meaningful pastoral relationship.
I have experienced this myself.
One evening, I was supposed to meet someone. He told me that he would come soon, so I waited for him on the street. I waited for hours that night. I assumed that he knew I was waiting for him.
Several hours later, he called me and told me that he had gone straight home for one reason or another.
I understood that he might have had his own circumstances. Nevertheless, I was very disappointed and angry. I kept thinking, “How much better it would have been if he had simply called me beforehand.”
Later, I learned from someone else that this was actually a habitual pattern for him. That made me realize even more clearly how a repeated failure to keep one’s word can damage credibility.
There is another example that may seem even smaller, but it is very important among believers.
We often say, “I’ll pray for you.”
We say it consciously, and sometimes unconsciously. But we should ask ourselves: Do people really believe that we will pray for them?
Of course, we genuinely want to pray for people. But if we repeatedly say, “I’ll pray for you,” without actually doing it, our words eventually become mere lip service.
That is why even the small things matter.
When we say, “I’ll call you,”we should call.
When we say, “I’ll visit you,”we should visit.
When we say, “I’ll see you next week,”we should be there—or let the person know beforehand if we cannot come.
And when we say, “I’ll pray for you,”we should actually pray.
These may appear to be small matters, but small acts of faithfulness build great trust.
In ministry, people are not only listening to what we say; they are watching whether our lives agree with our words.
DWYSYWD is therefore more than a useful slogan. It is a principle of Christian integrity.
There is one final realization that has become increasingly important to me: when we make a promise to another person, we are also making a promise before God.
God knows what we say.
God knows what we do.
God knows what we fail to do.
Therefore, we should not think lightly about our words.
When we say, “I will,”let us remember that God hears us.
DWYSYWD—Do What You Said You Would Do.
Let us be people whose words can be trusted, whose commitments can be depended upon, and whose lives demonstrate the faithfulness of Christ.
Keep your word. Keep your promise. Keep your credibility. And above all, remember that you are keeping your word before God.