The Bible says, ‘It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfil it’ (Ecclesiastes 5:5 NIVUK). How many times have we felt let down by others? And how many times have we been the person who hasn’t kept their end of the deal? We live in a time of commitment-phobia. We want to get as much as we can while giving back as little as possible. We want to be there for others in good times but not bad ones. We try to avoid offering to do things or being pinned down by responsibility and obligation. To escape the awkwardness and embarrassment of saying no, we avoid our obligations and responsibilities by simply making sure we’re elsewhere when we’re needed. We’re also a ‘sound bite’ generation with very short attention spans. We can’t watch TV without scrolling on our phones. We prefer the talks at church to be simple, entertaining, and above all, short. This might sound quite extreme, but if we’re honest with ourselves we can all probably relate to it to some degree. Radical commitment is rare – but it’s what God wants from us. Paul said: ‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.’ That’s complete commitment to Jesus. He surrendered to God’s will for His life; He let Jesus take control. Sometimes we can just surrender part of our lives. We only want to commit to Jesus when it’s easy for us to do so. Radical commitment means we let Jesus have all of our lives, we devote all of ourselves to Him, and we follow Him no matter the cost to us. It’s tough, but it’s what we’re called to do.

What Now?

Whatever task you’re doing today, try to commit fully to it. For example, if you’re watching TV, don’t go on your phone, or if you’re having a conversation with someone, give them your full attention.