March 12 , 2008
“Re-think Commitment”
Dear Friend,
Commitment is a gift we give to ourselves, and the people around us receive the secondary benefit. Proverbs 16:3 says: “Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.”
I might paraphrase this proverb as, “Obligate yourself to work in a way that pleases the Lord, and your life plans will become realities.”
In his book Life Strategies, Dr. Phil McGraw discusses what he calls “life laws.” Life Law Number Eight says: “We teach people how to treat us.”
If I apply Dr. Phil’s life law to the life skill of commitment, I can draw an insightful conclusion: If I am truly committed to live the highest quality of life, I will be teaching the people around me how their thoughts and behaviors help or inhibit me.
Instead of complaining about the lack of commitment in others around us, we can take charge of our lives by committing ourselves in healthy ways. Our commitment, lived out consistently, teaches the people around us how to treat us. So then, rethink and reframe the quality of commitment in your own life before you attempt to change the nature of commitment in others.
Doc
Dr. Dave Collings
Lead Pastor
Christ Church
