The American Heritage Dictionary simply defines this word as "A pledge to do." American management writer Peter Drucker observes that "Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes...but no plans."
In a Christian's life, commitment is essential. To borrow my pastor's words, "Commitment to Christ and the Church is the starting point of all growth and ministry." Echoing Peter Drucker: without commitment, we never get off the ground. This perspective on the importance of commitment makes sense when we consider the nature of our Christianity. From birth, we were enslaved to sin and service of ourselves. When Christ died for us we were given a new life and a calling to live--not for ourselves--but for Him.
So often Christians can view this commitment to this calling as something that comes naturally. However, because of our sin nature, nothing right comes “naturally”, or easily...yet their essential nature remains. In anyone’s family/personal/community life, nothing comes without commitment. One cannot be married and have a family without commitment. One cannot have a job, buy a house or car without commitment. One cannot even have friends without some level of commitment.
Unfortunately, our sin natures aren’t the only thing warring against a commitment to commitment (try wrapping your brain around that one!). The internet reigns supreme at allowing everything but demanding nothing. You can date, shop, and practically live on the internet with nothing more than a promise to pay your ISP bills at the end of the month. As teenagers, often nothing is more tempting than the lure of dating. “Why commit when you can date [relatively] risk free?” is the question our culture asks us. You may notice that every appeal for us not to commit is aimed at what feels best for us. However, this is not what we are called to.
The Christian life is a God-centered call, not a man-centered call. Many church-going, Christians wouldn’t deny, when asked, that we are called to not live lives around ourselves. Yet when it comes to commitment, the rubber meets the road. Luke 14:26-27 quotes Jesus saying, “"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
Wow. As evident from this passage: 1. This isn’t all about us. God’s glory is more important than ours. 2. If any success in this area is to be obtained, we must be purposeful. 1 Timothy 4:15 says, “Practice these things, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.”
This blog post isn’t going to end with a fix-all tip, or a catchy solution. It will merely end with questions, and a prayer. These questions for reflection are from a message my pastor preached this past summer:
1. Am I committed to Christ?
2. Am I committed to the Church?
As for the prayer, how wonderful it is to recognize that we are utterly incapable of change on our own! He is our only sure Rock. Let us constantly come before the throne of grace when we realize our inadequacy.
But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. – Acts 20:24
