Have Yourself Committed
I was listening to a fantastic lecture yesterday. The speaker was talking about 2 Samuel 9 where David shows kindness to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth even though every person in his kingdom would have been advising him to do the opposite. Kings in that day stayed in power by usually eliminating the entire family of their predecessors.
As Saul’s grandson, Mephibosheth would have had a rightful claim to Israel’s throne and thus the reason why he was hiding out in Lo-Debar, hopeful that David would never know about him. David did find out about him, though, but not because he wanted to kill Mephibosheth. Rather, he wanted to be true to his commitment to his friend Jonathan – that he would care for his family.
The whole story is pretty remarkable, really, but what shocks most of us is the fact that David was committed to carrying out his promise regardless of whether there was anyone around “holding his feet to the fire,” so to speak. He could have easily just forgotten the whole thing and no one would have known any different. The whole scene prompted the speaker to reflect on the nature of commitment in our world these days. Are we like David at all?
An article that appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education in March of 2008 described the lifestyles of most university students today. It was written by Professor Mark Edmundson and was titled, “Dwelling in Possiblities.” Edmundson shows that most students live in a world full of possibilities, but very few actualities. If you were to ask a student on Friday evening at about 5:30 what she might be doing that evening, she would likely say, “I’m not sure yet.” Then she would begin to list the possibilities – “I might go to the game with some friends, or just chill out at home, or go to the movie, or to the party, or to the other party, or to the mall, or watch that show that I have been thinking about watching, or go to bed early…” When the time finally does come for her to decide where to go, she will commit to the decision a little bit, but keep her options open just in case something else comes along. She will likely go to the party, but while she is there she will be texting someone at another party. If that other party sounds better than the one she is at, she will go there instead. Of course, when she gets there, she will immediately be texting another friend who is about to go to a movie, so she will probably jump ship from the second party to go to the first movie. And then the second movie. And then to the first party again. And on and on it goes.
All of this lack of commitment is endemic in young adults and does not really bode well for their futures. What would a marriage look like with this kind of approach? What would working at a job look like? How can those who are addicted to possibilities demonstrate the kind of commitment necessary to have functional lives? Or, to put it another way, where are all the Davids?
I guess I am writing all of this because I think it’s high time we question the values that we are inheriting from our culture. Is the good life found in the constant search for the perfect experience, whether it be the party, or the mall, or the movie, or that other church around the corner where the pastor dresses better and the music is quieter? Or is the good life found in committing oneself to something that is larger than the individual and sticking with it even when it gets hard, or inconvenient, or (God forbid) boring? Have yourselves committed, my friends.
#1 from Nancy Williams on October 08, 2009
Northview blogging is helping keep my spare time occupied these days. It’s a good thing, so thanks!
Culture is very much a reason why so many believers have left the Church. Many feel their Christian values are being compromised by the contemporary Church of today. Do you think with that said, one can commit him/her self to the higher cause of Christ outside of the Church? Is this a healthy thing? What can we do to bridge the gap between those who feel their spiritual values are being compromised and those who feel everything is where it should be and like things the way they are?
Is there not enough evidence to say that the acceptance and practice of culture in today’s church has wrought havoc on the Church? Can we not take ownership of the problem and invite God to turn things around and get us on the right track? It’s a BIG boat to turn around and it’s going to take all hands on deck with unified vision.
God grant leadership wisdom and the ability to take right action.
“The Second Coming of the Church”, by Barna, is a good read on church and culture although it’s already a decade old.