Are you involved or committed?

Someone once said that the difference between involvement and commitment is like a ham and egg breakfast - the chicken was involved but the pig was committed.  

The sad reality is that most people settle for being involved without ever making a commitment. 

This morning I taught about this at Celebration and we had some fabulous discussion.  We talked about the differences between the business world and the church and how many if not most people give a greater level of commitment to the things of the world than the bride of Christ -- the church!  (The reason for this is money - which simply indicates the level of idolatry in the church today.)  

Let me ask you this...would you trust someone who was where they are supposed to be 80% of the time?  What about a person who did what they agreed to do 80% of the time?  I realize 80% is still the majority of the time, but I've chosen that number to prove a point.  Although it's the vast majority if they were faithful 80% of the time they would still be irresponsible 20% of the time.  If you knew somebody was definitely not dependable for 20% of the time, would it alter your level of trust?  Of course.

There are serious differences between being involved and being committed. Being involved means you can pretty much do what you want -- anytime you want.  You can just sort of  drop in or come and go as you please.  

The illustration I used this morning was that of a "call up choir".   I've been in churches (mostly in the south - not Florida south - we're not really the south, ha ha!) where they do this.  At a certain point in the service the pastor or music director says that the choir's getting ready to sing and  "calls up" anybody who wants to sing.  These folks come out of the congregation and go up on the stage to sing. Of course they just do familiar songs that everyone knows like Heaven's Jubilee or Amazing Grace.  There is no rehearsal --they just wing it and you might have 25 people in the choir or 75 depending on how many came to church that day and feel like participating.  Consider this versus a choir where it's mandatory to attend rehearsals to be a part and there are guidelines to be a member of the group.  There is a whole different level of excellence with this kind of group that isn't  possible with a call up choir.

Nobody will ever move forward with a call up choir attitude!

Commitment involves the fulfilling of promises but with it comes a greater blessing and favor.  Some wonder, "why has this happened for others and not for me?" 

A person can have great gifting but be unusable because of commitment issues. 

Luke 16:10 says  “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” Some people wonder why they have not been entrusted with any greater position, ministry, finances, etc.   Amazingly they just don't get the connection between this and their 100% dependability.

Someone in class today brought up, "what about grace...where does grace enter into the picture?"  Certainly there is grace and forgiveness just as God grants the same to us.  Trust is a different issue.  

In order for trust to be re-established a person would have to build a track record of trustworthiness all over again.

Commitment is the only way to grow.  Nobody moves forward only being half way in.  You've got to go all in to win.