What are your priorities?

The leaves have changed colors, the trick-or-treaters have collected as much candy as possible, and most of the Midwest has just been reminded that winter is coming. The busiest time of year has officially begun!

Instead, though, of being the busiest season, it could be bountiful. Instead of a schedule stuffed like the Thanksgiving turkey, you could have time for what matters to you.

Jesus in Mathew 5:37 says, "Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil." The context describes someone making a commitment by placing an oath on something greater than themselves. The idea was that your words carry greater weight because of the person of authority or object of value that you invoked in your statement. What Jesus says is that placing the weight of your words and your character on something beyond yourself is deceitful to yourself and others. The simple solution is to let your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no" and therefore creating tremendous clarity in your life.

Being clear defines your priorities. If going to a Christmas party every night of the week is your priority, awesome. If watching as many Christmas movies as possible in one weekend is the most important, go for it. The point is that clarifying your priorities results in greater ease in defining what to say "yes" or "no" to.

Being clear also builds your boundaries. While priorities define your who and what, boundaries create a structure for how you engage with what matters most. A boundary is half a piece of pumpkin and apple pie instead of two whole slices. Two Thanksgiving meals instead of four. Your boundary is the strategy to apply your "yes' or "no."

Being clear also creates credibility. When someone says, "Yes, I'll do that," then does not, trust is eroded. Trust is built by fulfilling commitments. Your ability to give a positive "no" will carry more weight than a reluctant or incomplete "yes."

There are always going to be obligations in life. Office parties you don't want to be at. The sweater from your great-aunt that you know you are going to return. There are some commitments we keep because we love the person we are committed to more than the obligatory moment. But if we apply Jesus' words with our yes or no, we will live with greater clarity, meaning and most important, truthfulness.