About a year ago I subscribed to the digital edition of the Washington Post.  I was reading a bit more in retirement and wanted to make sure I was reading a balance of perspectives.  Along with the New York Times, the Post would hold down the establishment-left end of the things.  Besides, they offered me a great deal. $29 for the year which would jump to $100 for the next year, automatically charged to my credit card if I didn’t remember to cancel before the year was up.  They make their money off our bad memories.

As it turns out, my discount subscription to the Post was not the beginning of a beautiful friendship.  I don’t know if it is a Jeff Bezos thing or the Post’s corral of columnists, but the Post and I just didn’t hit it off. The Times is doing a good job of holding down the establishment-left end of my morning read, so I decided I would remember to cancel my Post subscription before I was out $100 for another year.

Earlier this week I went to my account page at WashintonPost.com and gave them the bad news. I was ending our relationship. I didn’t say anything unkind about Jeff Bezos, I just clicked “cancel.” “Are you sure you wish to cancel this subscription?” they asked in an entirely inoffensive manner. I clicked “yes,” with no offense implied. Without a moment’s thought they offered me a $40 per year deal to continue our relationship. Suddenly I felt like Yahweh arguing with Abraham over the fate of Sodom.

I’ve never been very good at the art of the deal and was frankly a bit bothered by the Post’s Trumpian approach.  Think about it.  Had our relationship blossomed and had I said, “count me in for another year, here’s my $100,” the Post would have been happy to bilk me out of $60.  Their friends and family rate is 150% higher than their disgruntled and disgusted rate.  I suppose that’s how Jeff Bezos came up with the cash to build his rocket ship.

Jesus said, “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37, NKJV)

The news, whether it is conveyed by the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, paints the picture of our time as one when “yes” may not mean “yes” and “no” may not mean “no.” We don’t expect it of politicians or bureaucrats. We sometimes don’t get simple honesty from pastors and preachers desperate to make their parishioners feel good about the deal, whatever it may be.

The subscription department at the Washington Post was hoping for my happy hundred but would have accepted my frustrated forty.  That’s how you make enough money to build your own rocket ship. They did not want to take “no” for an answer.

In his “yes” and “no” saying from the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is telling those who would be his disciples to be people of such obvious integrity that our honesty is never in doubt. By Kingdom standards, being known as honest is of much greater worth than a quick ride to the lower levels of outer space.

Sorry, Jeff, but my “no” means “no.”