--- title: Keeping promises — a lesson of Mova's school · trees and pragmatics description: «Keeping promises», a lesson of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, sentence by sentence with dependency trees and pragmatics. It begins: A promise is your word given for the future: when you say "I will", other people plan around it and count on you. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/) / [Religion ethics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/) / Keeping promises # Keeping promises Lesson 86 of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school: 18 sentences, each with its syntax tree and pragmatics. The lessons are written for Mova, and their agreed trees are part of Mova corpus 0.4 (CC BY-SA 4.0). How Mova does on its tests: [the lesson at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/). - [0](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/0/) — A promise is your word given for the future: when you say "I will", other people plan around it and count on you. - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/1/) — Ava promised to help her little brother build his Lego castle on Saturday morning, then her mate texts "cinema??? 10am"; a more fun plan is not a reason to break her word, though she can honestly ask him to swap days. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/2/) — A promise you meant but couldn't keep because of a real emergency is not a lie, but it still needs an apology and making up for it; a promise to hide wrongdoing does not bind you at all. - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/4/) — The wise way is to promise only what lies within your power, be clear about when, and keep small promises faithfully even when nobody would find out. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/5/) — Psalm 15 praises the one "who keeps an oath even when it hurts" (Psalm 15:4). - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/6/) — A promise is a real duty: only a stronger duty, like helping someone who is hurt, can outweigh it, not a better offer. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/7/) — Christians believe God always keeps his promises ("he who promised is faithful", Hebrews 10:23); a promise broken by a real emergency, honestly explained, is not a lie. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/8/) — A promise to hide wrongdoing does not bind you; Herod kept a wicked oath, and it cost John the Baptist his life (Mark 6:22-28). - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/9/) — "Like a broken tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble" (Proverbs 25:19); children who see promises broken again and again learn not to hope. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/10/) — "It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfil it" (Ecclesiastes 5:5). - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/12/) — "A trustworthy person keeps a secret" (Proverbs 11:13); being trusted to keep something safe is an honour. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/13/) — "Well done, good and faithful servant! - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/14/) — You have been faithful with a few things" (Matthew 25:21): tell even if no one would find out you slipped. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/15/) — When life changes a lot, like losing a job, the promiser should explain honestly, and the other person should try to understand; love "is not self-seeking" (1 Corinthians 13:5). - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/16/) — James says to speak of the future with "If it is the Lord's will" (James 4:13-15); promise only what lies within your power. - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/17/) — Words like "now now" (South Africa: soon, in a bit) change from place to place; when it matters, say exactly when. - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/18/) — Ruth promised Naomi, "Where you go I will go" (Ruth 1:16); going home to her own people would have been easier, but she kept her word, stayed with Naomi and became the great-grandmother of King David (Ruth 4:17). - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/19/) — Slang check: "howay" (Newcastle) means come on; "bare" (London) means lots of. - ← previous: [Pretend, cover stories and lies that become habits](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits/) - next →: [Good secrets and bad secrets](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/87-good-secrets-and-bad-secrets/) - ↑ back to [Religion ethics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/)