Is Commitment a Dirty Word?

This past Sunday I taught a message on A Christmas Story – Commitment – In our world I think commitment has gotten a bad name and for the most part because it has been poorly represented. I think most of us are scared or intimidated by commitment because either we have been burned by something or someone we have been committed to or we are afraid that we will fail in our commitment to a project or even a person. As we go into the Christmas season I would invite you to look at commitment through Ruth’s eyes – go ahead and read the book of Ruth (4 pretty easy reading chapters) – she gave an example of what true commitment is supposed to be.

1) When you commit to something you don’t do it for your own personal agenda, you put your personal agenda down for the person or the cause you are serving. Ruth basically gave up everything that was comfortable and predictable and safe to go with her mother-in-law back to Naomi’s home town. She gave up her future for her commitment to Naomi. It is tough to do, I struggle with it often, but if you don’t give up your personal agenda you will never be truly committed to the cause, program, or to the relationship – this includes our relationship with God.
2) When you commit you might not see the tangible results of your effort – hey we are instant gratification people – let’s face it, I want to see the results of my actions immediately. I want the students to change their choices immediately after I talk to them. I want to see the results of my commitment NOW, not later, because for me if I don’t see results I sometimes wander if it is worth my commitment – Ruth did not see the results of her commitment – she left her mother and father, had no food, no shelter, had to work in the field like a lowly person, not much reward there – many nights she probably say wandering what is going on, did I make the right choice.
3) When you commit to God and His Work YOU WILL ADVANCE GOD’S Kingdom! -- Rest of Ruth’s story – as a nonIsraelite she became the great grandmother of King David, and a direct descendant of Jesus – she never knew these things, never could have dreamed these things. In your commitment to God and to His Work remember that you will never know the impact you are making for HIS KINGDOM! If you commit to Him, He will use you to change the world in a HUGE WAY!

God went ALL IN when He committed His son Jesus to this earth, to live, to die, and to rise again – lets commit or recommit to God and go all in and see what HE can do through us.