Martina Navratilova, a Czech-American former professional tennis player once remarked: “The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed.” Romans 12:1-2 reminds us: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Commitment is defined as the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, arrangement, etc. It can include such measures as fidelity, devotion, loyalty or a distinctive guarantee of involvement. It validates a sustainable faith in God, and the perseverance and resolution to seek and accept His guidance in our Christian lives. Proverbs 16:1-5 reminds us: “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.”
Without commitment, promises and hope may still exist, but effectively remain mere dreams. The involvement required for a successful accomplishment needs to prevail to form them into a reality. One aids the other. God always maintains His commitment to all who accept and love Him. He proved this by the perfect gift of His Son to redeem and save us from our sins. It is only through Christ’s death on the cross that we can look forward to an eternal life after death. Deuteronomy 7:9 confirms: “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.”
Commitment is an essential requirement for success in many aspects of life. Whether it be in a sporting activity, work, a relationship or a host of other possibilities. It not only provides a goal to strive for, but a structure in life. A structure can provide stability and growth in skills. It can encourage the involvement of a good routine that maintains regularity, the building of strength and a determination to succeed. A sense of purpose is important as it creates meaning. Actions are never futile, they become involved and an accomplishment is often the end result. Knowledge may increase and challenges are overcome. 2 Timothy 2:15 reminds us: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
Jordan Bernt Peterson, a Canadian psychologist, author and media commentator once remarked: “You can't have a value structure without a hierarchy. They're the same thing because a value structure means one thing takes precedence over another.” Our relationship with God could be assimilated with a predominant similarity. He is the divine overseer and guider of all creation. Acts 6:1-6 reminds us: “Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.”
In 1947 Samuel Goldwyn released a charming, tender and warm-hearted Christmas film entitled: “The Bishop’s Wife.” It featured the renowned leading actors: Loretta Young, Cary Grant and David Niven and was directed by Henry Koster. It apprises the story of a young Bishop, (David Niven) who maintains a definitive stalwart commitment to the erection of a new cathedral in his diocese. He prays for guidance over the difficulties encountered in the accumulation of funds for its building. Cary Grant is appointed and becomes involved as the angel who is sent to Earth to assist the Bishop in his endeavors, and indirectly provide the solution to his problems. It eventually transpires that the Bishop’s vision for the building of the cathedral in the current climate, is considered misguided and that the funds could be utilized for the betterment of the poor and needy. Just before the angel departs, having successfully accomplished his task, he dictates a sermon to a completely unattended typewriter for the Christmas Eve service in which the Bishop is due to preach. Its content is as follows:
“Tonight I want to tell you the story of an empty stocking. Once upon a midnight clear there was a child’s cry. A blazing star hung over a stable and wise men came with birthday gifts. We haven’t forgotten that night down the centuries, we celebrate it with stars hung on Christmas trees, the sound of bells and gifts, but especially with gifts. We buy them, wrap them, and put them under the tree. You give me a tie, I give you a book. Aunt Martha has always wanted an orange squeezer, Uncle Henry can use a new pipe. We forget nobody, adult or child, all the stockings are filled, all that is, except one, and we have even forgotten to hang it up. The stocking for the child born in a manger. It’s His birthday we are celebrating. Don’t let us ever forget that. Let us ask ourselves what He would wish for most. And then let each put in his share, loving kindness, warm hearts, and the stretched out hand of tolerance, all the shining gifts that make for peace on Earth.”
Matthew 1:18-25 confirms: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.”
Amen.
