Committed or Decommitted?

 

Investments can be tricky things. Does one put their money in stocks or bonds, real estate, or hide it under the mattress? Even the most seemingly stable places to put one’s money can turn south in a heartbeat. Lots of people have experienced the phenomena of thinking they have invested well only to learn all the money is gone. So where should one invest? Ben Franklin said, “If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” Proverbs 4:6-7 teaches: “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” Sadly, most people have invested all they have in possessions that will perish with use. They neither possess wisdom or understanding in the meaning of life and the gainful interest of eternal life with the Creator of all things.

It was the final hole of the 1961 Masters Tournament, and golf legend Arnold Palmer had a one-stroke lead and had just hit a very satisfying tee shot. He felt he was in pretty good shape. As he approached his ball, he saw an old friend standing at the edge of the gallery. The friend motioned him over, stuck out his hand and said, “Congratulations.” Arnold later said, “I took his hand and shook it, but as soon as I did, I knew I had lost my focus.” On his next two shots, he hit the ball into the sand trap, then put it over the edge of the green. He missed the putt and lost the Master’s because he had lost his focus (Carol Mann, “The 19^th Hole”). The Constitution of the United States is a masterful work dictated through wisdom and understanding. Established as a free and sovereign Republic among all the nations of the world, the United States of America grew and prospered because of its wisdom and understanding of the will of God for mankind. We have shaken the hand of the evil one and lost our focus!

[2 Corinthians 5:9-11] A High School senior star football player had “committed” to play football at a certain university after graduation. Then, to everyone’s surprise, he “decommitted” (not even sure that’s a word) and planned to visit other universities. He wanted everyone to know that the original school was “still in the running,” but he would like to look at one particular school and perhaps a chance to play for the past year’s national champions. Maybe, like a lot of other people in our society, this young man has never learned the meaning of commitment. Apparently, his “world” is the “sports world.” In that environment one’s only commitment is to the game. How often do you hear of an athlete, coach, or manager whose entire career is spent with one team? How many times a year are “multi-year contracts” torn up (at least figuratively) when circumstances change? Sadly, this is not confined to the world of athletics. It seems that in almost every area of our lives people are deciding to “decommit.” Often, the couple who promises to remain together in sickness and in health, etc., will do just that until some circumstances arise “too tough to handle.” Then the most attractive option is to decommit. There used to be a level of commitment between employers and employees, but that no longer seems to be the case. It is much easier for one or both parties to decommit rather than work together. Our Lord knows about decommitment. He see’s far too many people become Christians; live life anew, only to see them decommit when the going got rough or turned to something more attractive to live for. Many people forget, or never knew, what their purpose in life is. What is our over-riding number one goal? Please God (2 Corinthians 5:9) and do everything to His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).