For fans of college sports, National Signing Day is a big deal. 

It’s the moment when top recruits officially commit to the colleges they’ll represent on the field. But the drama doesn’t just happen that day. Leading up to it, athletes take campus visits, meet coaches, and often make verbal commitments to schools long before the ink dries on a contract.

Then comes Signing Day itself, when some athletes shock the sports world by backing out of their original commitments and choosing a completely different school. For the programs left behind, it feels like betrayal. Coaches and recruiters who poured time, energy, and resources into a relationship are left with nothing. That disappointment isn’t confined to sports. It reflects a much larger issue in our culture today: what could be called a pandemic of noncommitment. 

A Modern Pandemic

Everyone remembers how the COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly, disrupting every part of life. While that crisis was physical, our culture faces a different kind of epidemic, one that spreads just as fast. It’s the epidemic of people not keeping their word.

Since my freshman year at Liberty University, I’ve seen it repeatedly: plans made and then broken, commitments given and then tossed aside for something “better.” Now, years later as a graduate and Student Pastor, I see the problem growing worse. Canceling last-minute, ghosting a friend, or bailing on responsibilities has become normalized. Why has breaking commitments become so acceptable? Why do we waste the time of others just to pursue something more appealing? 

The honest answer is uncomfortable: deep down, many of us simply don’t care.

 I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t always gotten this right. But ignoring the issue doesn’t help, it’s not just a social inconvenience, it’s a biblical matter.

Jack, You Said This Was a Biblical Matter, but How?

In Matthew 5, part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus raises the bar for what righteousness looks like. He points out that obeying the letter of the law isn’t enough; God also cares about the spirit behind it. The Pharisees were meticulous rule-keepers, but Jesus challenged His listeners: 

“Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

He then unpacks what that means. It is not enough to avoid the physical act of murder if anger and hatred still fester in the heart. It is not enough to claim innocence of adultery when lustful thoughts corrupt the mind. It is not enough to legally file for divorce if the motive is shallow and disregards God’s design for marriage. Again and again, Jesus insists that technical obedience misses the point if the heart behind it is compromised.

Finally, in verses 33–37, He addresses honesty and reliability. In His day, people often made oaths, swearing “by heaven” or “by Jerusalem,” thinking that breaking these oaths wasn’t serious since God’s name wasn’t directly involved. It was a way to build loopholes into promises. Jesus rejects this entirely. Instead, He says, 

“Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37, NLT). 

His point is straightforward: words should mean something. A Christian’s integrity shouldn’t depend on technicalities or elaborate oaths. If you commit to something, follow through.

Why It Matters

When people don’t keep their word, it stings. Canceling plans or backing out of commitments may feel small to the one doing it, but it communicates something bigger: “I don’t value you enough to follow through.” Multiply that across friendships, workplaces, and churches, and you see why this “commitment pandemic” is so destructive.

Our culture, particularly in America, has normalized self-prioritization. The messages are everywhere: Do what makes you happy. Don’t feel bad for bailing. Put yourself first. But biblical faith calls us to something very different. Jesus modeled this perfectly. He didn’t put Himself first, He put others first, even when it cost Him everything. He was committed to His mission, committed to His people, and committed to the cross. If our Savior lived and died with such faithfulness, how can we treat our own commitments as optional?

A Call Back to Integrity

Flakiness might be normal in our culture, but it shouldn’t be normal among Christians. Every “yes” and “no” matters, not just because of the people involved, but because God Himself is our witness. The good news is that even when people fail us, God never does. His commitment to His people is unshakable. He never leaves, never abandons, never breaks His word. That reality doesn’t just comfort us, it should inspire us to reflect His character in how we live.

In a world plagued by broken promises, reliability stands out. When your “yes” truly means yes and your “no” truly means no, you point people not to yourself but to the God who is always faithful.