commitment

This month we're in a teaching series at Faith called "Better Together". Yesterday we talked about a striking concept.

In order to be committed to anything, it requires that I be willing to say "no" to other things. To have a relationship or be committed to anything (marriage, parenting, friendships, church, work, a hobby, etc.)... means that I must willingly limit my options in life. I can't just do whatever I want to do anymore. I have to take into consideration how my choices affect the commitments I've made in life.

I think this is one of the primary reasons we (self included) tend to resist commitment. We want to keep our options open. Maybe something better will come along. And when the going gets tough it seems so much easier to just bail out and be freed from those commitments.

And yet, as you consider life...doesn't it seem that the less committed we are, the less fulfillment we find? As we spread ourselves a mile wide with options and choices, our depth and effectiveness in any of those things seems to diminish. Maybe the key is finding a few things in life that are really important and committing to give my best to those things.

And maybe Charlie Brown (in the comic above) has to make a choice. Is he more committed to his shirt or to his friends...cause that shirt looks like it's getting a little smelly!