Total Commitment

There’s an old fable about a chicken and a pig walking past an orphanage. The chicken said to the pig, ““We ought to do something nice for these children.”

“Yes”, said the pig. ““I agree. What did you have in mind?”

The chicken answered, “Why don’t we fix them a ham and egg breakfast?”

The pig thought for a minute and said, “Well, for you that’s a token, but for me it’s total commitment!”

Yes, commitment requires giving our all whether it is in a job, a marriage or in our relationship to the Lord. Since we live in a society where people break their commitments all the time, it should not surprise us that many lack a total commitment to the Lord.

Commitment says “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20)

Wonder why people put material things before spiritual, show more interest in club meetings than church services, and devote greater time, energy and resources to the material over the spiritual? It’s a lack of commitment.

In a neat book, Even Eagles Need a Push, David McNally wrote, “Commitment influences behavior, and behavior determines results.” Why do we act the way we do? It goes back to our commitments. Often in the Lord’s work we bemoan lack of results. We try to change people’s behavior without changing their commitment. When we have the right kind of commitment, we will act in agreement with those commitments and produce the desired results.

Many people have an interest in spiritual growth and development, but lack a commitment to it. Ken Blanchard says, “When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.” If we are to be successful in the growing spiritually, we must move from interest to commitment.

Peter Hirsh says commitment requires four things: (1) focus, (2) positive belief, (3) positive attitude, and (4) purpose. Applying this to our relationship to the Lord, I learn that I cannot be committed if I am not focused on those things that are above (Col. 3:1-2). Commitment without faith in God and the Word of God is impossible (Heb. 11:6). My attitude must be like Jesus (Phil. 2:5). And my purpose must be aligned with God’s eternal purpose (Eph. 3:10-11).

Some good questions to ask would be: What is my focus? What do I believe? What kind of attitude do I have? What is my purpose in life?

W. H. Murray was right when he wrote: “Until one is committed there is hesitancy. The chance to draw back. Always ineffectiveness. The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents…which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.”

When Peter said, “From now on, live the rest of your lives controlled by God’s will, not by human desires” ( I Pet. 4:2), he was telling us that we need to be totally committed to God.

How will you live your life in service to God? Will it only be a token? Or will it be total commitment?

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman