Commitment:
It separates the “Doers” from the “Dreamers”
Foundational Scripture:
Psa 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Pro 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
This morning we will establish “just what is commitment”. We will find out just how vital commitment is in our everyday relationships. We can not be successful in life, nor can we be successful Christians without commitment. I hope to expose areas that we need to commit afresh and anew, and then teach on how to identify areas in which we can strengthen our level of commitment.
The difference in a contribution and total commitment is usually the difference in failure and success.
A chicken and a hog were walking past a church building one day when they noticed the Sunday morning sermon posted on the outside bulletin board, "Helping the Poor." They walked a ways when the chicken suddenly came across with a suggestion. "Say, Brother Hog, why don’t we give all the poor people a nice breakfast of ham and eggs?" The hog thought a moment and replied, "That’s all right for you to say because for you it is only a contribution, but for me, it’s total commitment!"
I. Commit Your Way Unto the Lord.
A. How can I do something until I really know what it is?
1. Commit = Bind oneself to a pledge. Entrust to another’s care
2. Commitment = A pledge based upon honor
B. The world has never seen a leader who lacked commitment. Commitment gives us new power. No matter what comes to us – sickness, poverty, or disaster – we never turn our eye from the goal.
C. What is commitment? To each person, it means something different, however the principle remains the same.
1. To the Boxer, it’s getting off the mat one time more than you’ve been knocked down.
2. To the marathoner, it’s running another ten miles when your strength is gone.
3. To the soldier, it’s going over the hill, not knowing what’s waiting on the other side, with reckless abandon to self, yet committed to a cause.
4. To the missionary, it’s saying good-bye to your own comfort to make life better for others.
5. To the Christian, it’s all that and more because everyone who is watching your life is depending upon you to get back up again, run that ten miles more, to display courage when faced with the unknown, and to die to self for the betterment of others.
Example: There is no such thing as partial commitment. When the pilot of a giant airliner is speeding down the runway, there is a certain point where he cannot decide to remain on the ground. When he crosses that line, he is committed to the air, or the plane crashes disastrously. That pilot cannot change his mind when the plane is two-thirds of the way down the runway.
Story : Commitment. It is a word that we seem to be hearing a lot about lately. One automobile manufacturer says that they are "committed to excellence." Professional athletes, business persons, executives, etc., are all committed to their occupations.
Recently, I read a story of commitment that touched my heart and made me think of commitment in marriage. Most married people have affirmed a commitment to their spouse that goes something like this:
"...To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do us part...."
Robertson McQuilkan’s commitment in marriage was severely challenged when his wife, Muriel, contracted Alzheimers disease. Mr. McQuilkan was president of a Bible college and seminary when he was faced with a mountainous decision. He could not continue as president and take appropriate care of his wife who at this point could only speak in phrases and words and was prone to irrational behavior. She was afraid when she was not with her husband. Even his most trusted and godly friends advised him to put his wife in an institution for the sake of his ministry. After all, how could he retire when things were going so well and he was only 57 years old?
When the time came, McQuilkan’s decision was firm. It took no great calculation. It was a matter of integrity. He commented, "Had I not promised, 42 years before ’in sickness and in health... till death do us part’?" Later he would go on to write of the joys and blessings he had received as a result of the special time spent with Muriel.
Commitment is a foundation for successful Christian living. The Lord is going to stand behind His promises-He is committed to what He has said and done. For the Christian there can be nothing less. Commitment is an absolute necessity.
A photographer tells of a young man who wanted duplicate copies of his girlfriend’s picture. The photographer noticed the following inscription on the back of the portrait, "My dearest Tom, I love you with all my heart. I love you more and more each day. I will love you forever and ever. I am yours for all eternity." Signed, Dianne. "P.S. If we ever break up, I want this picture back." Two examples of commitment, both declaring terms of endearment forever, one demonstrating his terms of commitment, therefore living his terms of endearment.
II. The True Nature of Commitment
A. Commitment Starts in the Heart
1. Some want everything to be perfect before they’re willing to commit themselves to anything.
2. True commitment always precedes achievement.
3. It is said that concerning the Kentucky Derby, the winning horse effectively runs out of oxygen after the first half mile, and he goes the rest of the way on heart.
4. Michael Jordan stated, “heart is what separates the good from the great.” If you really want to make a difference in other peoples lives as a Christian, look into your heart to see if you’re really commited.
B. Commitment is always tested by action
1. It’s one thing to talk about commitment. It’s another to do something about it. “Separates the doers from the dreamers”
2. The only real measure of commitment is action.
Quote: Arthur Gordon acknowledged, “Nothing is easier than saying words. Nothing is harder than living them day after day.”
Example: Someone told me about a newly elected judge who had won office in a special county election. During his acceptance speech, he said, “I wish to thank the 424 people who promised to vote for me. I wish to thank the 316 people who said that they did vote for me. I wish to thank the 47 people who came out to vote last Thursday, and I wish to thank the 26 folks who actually did vote for me.”
As a Christian, you will face plenty of obstacles and oppositions – if you haven’t already. And there will be times when commitment is the only thing that carries you forward. If you want to get anywhere worthwhile, you must be committed.
C. When it comes to commitment, there are really only four types of people:
1. Cop-outs. People who have no goals and do not commit.
2. Hold-outs: People who don’t know if they can reach their goals, so they’re afraid to commit.
3. Drop-outs: People who start toward a goal but quit when the going gets tough.
4. All-outs: People who set goals, commit to them, and pay the price to reach them.
III. How Do I Improve My Level of Commitment?
A. Must measure it.
1. We may truly believe we are committed Christians, yet our actions indicate otherwise.
2. Spend a few hours tallying up how you spend your time and where you spend your money. Look at how much time you spend at work, in service with family, in health and recreation activities, and so forth. Figure out how much money you spent on living expenses, entertainment, personal development, and giving.
3. All these are true measures of your commitment. You may be surprised by what you find.
A Hymn of Marriage
The question is asked, "Is there anything more beautiful in life than a boy and girl clasping clean hands and pure hearts in the path of marriage?" And the answer is given, "Yes-there is a more beautiful thing; it is the spectacle of an old man and an old woman finishing their journey together on that path. Their hands are gnarled but still clasped; their faces are seamed but still radiant; their hearts are tired and bowed down but still strong. They have proved the happiness of marriage and have vindicated it from the jeers of cynics."
B. Know what’s worth dying for.
1. One of the questions that every Christians must ask is “What am I willing to die for?”
2. If it came down to it, what in life would you not be able to stop doing, no matter what the consequences were? Spend time alone meditating on that thought. Write down what you discover. Then see if that matches your Christian ideals. Would you die for your faith?, your marriage?, your commitment to your church?
C. Use the Edison method.
1. If taking the first step toward commitment is a problem, try doing what Thomas Edison did. When he had a good idea for an invention, he would call a conference to announce it. Then he’d go into his lab and invent it.
2. Make your plans public, and you might be more committed to following through with them.
Conclusion: Yes! You Can!
As we drove up the steep, winding road in the Cave of the Winds near Colorado Springs, we came suddenly to a narrow passageway between high rock walls through which it looked as if the car could not possibly go. But facing us was a sign which said: "Yes, you can! Millions of others have!" And so, driving carefully through, we soon came to a wider roadway.
So many times we face seemingly insoluble problems and impossible situations. But we can know that God is able to open ways before us which are now hidden from our view. We may hear God’s message to us: "Yes, you can! Millions of others have gone this way. Be of good cheer. Trust in the Lord and go ahead!"
Heavenly Father, when we face difficult times, help us to trust in You to show us the way through. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
