Some time ago, I posted a short interaction with Taylor Field’s book Squat. In that post, I meditated about the role of fiction for believers and how it can be a powerful tool for Scriptural truth. This time, I want to wrestle with one of the issues Field raises through his characters.

Without spoiling too much of the plot, there is a conflict between two of the main characters known as Squid and Saw. In very broad terms, Squid is the “good” guy while Saw is the “bad” guy. But there’s an interesting twist that Field plays with throughout the book.

Squid is in trouble with Saw because he didn’t keep his word. Paradoxically, much of the fear surrounding Saw is based on the fact the he does in fact keep his word. Granted, the things he says are not nice and they are often threats, but he always follows through with his word. When he says that he’s going to hurt you, that’s exactly what he’s going to do!

It’s an interesting play of events that Field adopts; in a sense, the “bad” guy is more trustworthy than the “good” guy. It’s interesting that Scripture sometimes presents the same scenario. For example, in Genesis 20, Abraham for the second time lies about Sarah being his sister instead of his wife. This time, it is to King Abimelech. Sarah agrees to go along with the plot and the only one who emerges blameless from the narrative is the “pagan” king Abimelech. Abraham, the Patriarch, was not good for his word on this issue.

Scripture repeatedly reminds us of the importance of our words. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 5:37: “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” Paul says that deacons must not be “double-tongued” (1 Timothy 3:8), or think of the many Proverbs devoted to the tongue (Proverbs 10:31, 12:18, 15:12, etc.). Under the influence of a “little white lies don’t hurt anyone” culture, many professing believers (too often including myself), say things they simply don’t mean. Whether it’s offering to do something we know we will not or saying we have done something we did not, our words far too often do not deliver truth.

Through the use of fiction, Field applies many Scritpural principles to lifelike situations, not only demonstrating the principle itself but also the consequences. This is quite pertinent when more and more professing Christians are influenced by the moral standards of this fallen world than by the God we claim to serve. Few if any think twice about “white lies,” even within the church, which is to be the “pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).

Through this clever “role reveral,” Field powerfully reminds believers that the world is watching, and they know when our words and our lives don’t match, or when our words simply can’t be trusted. In fact, they often know even before we do. Squid initially tries justifying his actions. Our words are more powerful than we imagine. While we teach our children to say “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” we all know that this is simply not true. Whether we’ve been cut with a sharp tongue or bludgeoned with dull promises, we all know the power of words.

Field helps us feel the weight of that power by applying Scriptural principles to real-life scenarios, showing us the consequences of falling short. May your yes be just that, because everyone will know when it is not.

• Read Squat by Taylor Field
• Visit the book’s official website