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A man had a contract to pay his slave-master for his freedom. While he was working to pay it off, the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. That canceled the man’s obligation, but he paid it off anyway. He said he had given his word, and he had never broken his word. He felt he could not enjoy his freedom unless he kept his promise. The passion to keep his word also drove King David to make good on his promise. When he was too old and feeble to perform his kingly duties, his eldest son Adonijah tried to make himself king. Solomon’s mother Bathsheba learned about the coup Adonijah’s was planning. She was afraid — not only that her son Solomon would not become king as David had promised her; she also knew that if Adonijah became king, he would kill her and Solomon. So she and the prophet Nathan came up with a plan. She would go in, tell King David about Adonijah’s plan, and Nathan would come in and confirm her story. When David heard of his eldest son’s plan to take the throne, he immediately took action. He sent Nathan the prophet and Zadok the priest to anoint Solomon as the next king. He said his reason for doing so was that he had promised Bathsheba years ago, that Solomon would be the next king. We can learn a lesson from King David. We should always keep our word when it is in our power to do so.