Commitment

I missed work one day which was terribly uncommon, not having missed even one day in a ten-years period. My boss asked "Were you sick yesterday, Larry?" I answered back "No, I felt really good! I come to work when I'm sick!" (sarcistically). Many, many days I came to work when I was sick. When people take off there is a hole. Allowing for "holes" in the workforce is extremely costly and my part in making GM a success was being there every day whether I felt well or not. In fact, feeling sick was often diminished by having to think and being active. If I had stayed home I would have been miserable in my isolation, but at work I had little time to think about how sick I felt!

I have been blessed! I'm not referring to severe maladies which I never had. I'm referring to common illnesses. True, I could have passed along whatever I had, but I took care to make no contact with others and to sneeze into my handkerchief, etc. Toothaches, back aches, and headaches were just endured, not being a danger to others. I did this because I was "committed". I was dedicated, not to GM, but my work ethic. "Dedication" is when a person does all their capable of for any length of time to make things happen or keep them happening.

In my personal life, I was always committed. I am nobility, so to speak, because people say "You can Count-on Herrin!" Yes, I'm Count Herrin and I am noble to "causes"; especially to God and friends; all of which we are to love!

As with work, when people ask me to do things with them "You can Count-on Herrin!" because I will do what I said I would do just as the saying goes "Come hell or high water!" When I commit to doing something I'm there to do it! There are loop-holes and some people by nature seek them out!

W. C. Fields, on his deathbed was seen reading his Bible. When asked "I thought you were an atheist and don't believe in hell?" he replied "Yes I am, but I'm looking for loop-holes!" Looking for loop-holes is a method of all mankind to remain non-committal. With my oldest son, he was a born lawyer. Any instruction which he was given, he could circumvent it by "legal technicalities". He was a master at finding loop-holes! With him we had to be precise and specific when we gave instruction because we knew that if there was a loop-hole, he would find it! We became a family of lawyers, we parents trying to be definitive and he, trying to outwit us.

Some of my workers did this. When I asked two of my porters at work why they didn't wash the windows as instructed, one responded "We did!" I replied, it's obvious that you didn't for they're dirty and smeared." His response was "Well, you didn't say how well to wash them!" This conversation is real! I'm not making it up.

We had a boat for awhile. Many of our friends learned to water ski and tube towed behind my boat. We always planned ahead and asked people in advance "Do you want to boat with us Saturday?" Without exception they said "We'd love to!" Terri and I would volunteer always to supply the boat, pay for the gasolene and prepare drinks and a picnic basket. Inevitably those people who "would love to" call an hour in advance and canceled out. We were left holding the basket. Most often we would do it alone because our friends were non-committal. Yes, they "committed" but failed to understand that part of "commitment" is following through!

On A Seinfeld  episode Jerry made a reservation for a rental car. No car was available. Jerry said "But I made a reservation!" The clerk said "I know what a reservation is, but we don't have a car." Jerry responded "You know what a reservation is, but you just don't know how to keep a reservation!" or a conversation to that effect. Reservations are just as commitments: part of commitments are following through with the commitment!

Christians are as bad at commitment as the next person. Many Christians use "little white lies" in contrast to "big black lies" when failing to honor commitments. It seems that mankind "thinks" they have found a loop-hole: "It's okay to lie as an excuse as long as nobody gets hurt." Let's look for the exceptions to The Ten Commandments; there's got to be a loop-hole there because Christians use it all the time! Here's is what God commands:

Exodius 20:16 "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour."

Let's look for loop-holes here! Throughout the ages people say about this "Thou shalt not lie". It's finite and direct. The loop holes are "It's not ENTIRELY false." and "He's NOT my neighbor". Loop-holes are unlimited here. God thought this command was pretty clear, but man endeavors to diminish God via technicalities.

Part of finding loop-holes are multiple excuses. My policy is when I decline to do something I merely say "No, I won't be doing that!" There are no excuses. None are needed because from my past reputation people know that I have a "real" excuse. It may be that I just don't want to, but that is a reason, not an excuse! Sometimes I do say "I don't think so for I don't like to do that!". That's honest and a reason, but it's also a VALID reason.

I've had people list multiple excuses: "I'm going to be too tired that day.", "I think I have something else I need to be doing that day.", "My back is somewhat sore.", I need to fix that light in the closet." et al.  Many times people aren't convinced that one excuse is good enough so they name many excuses. However, none of the excuses are reasons, but I guess that they believe that multiple excuses equals one good reason!

What's worse "loop-hole looking" and "excuses" aren't limited to work and friends. They are clear signs that commitment just isn't there!

Matthew 22:37 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."

This is a command! However, those who have weak commitment look for loop-holes! Jesus didn't COMMAND this, he merely SAID it.  If Jesus wasn't serious about this being a requirement, why would he have merely said it?  The legal definition of the archaic word "shalt" (now shortened to shall) is the person (him) is "commanded to do" something. When God speaks what he says are commands! Loop-hole number one shot down!

Loop-hole #2. "Love" is gray. It means different things to different people! Well, God gave us a pretty clear definition of what love is:

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV) "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."

How are we commanded to love the Lord (and other people to be certain)? Be patient, kind, without envy or pride, nor arrogance nor rudeness, nor selfish nor irritable nor resentful.  We are to do what's right, be truthful, etc. It continues with love as commitment, strong believe, having hope in what is and above all, "love never ends"!  What's so unclear about loving? Practice these things and love will become clear as crystal. It is the things a loving person does when loving. Loop-hole #2 closed!

Then there are those abstract thoughts of all the "heart, mind and soul". Let me clear that up for you! That's with your ALL! Loop-hole number 3 closed!

To show our commitment to God there is one thing we are to do: We are to love the Lord! However, that's one things most people have trouble doing!

John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

This is one of my most oft quoted verses. Mankind has one way of showing Jesus love (and Jesus is God). That is to "keep his commandments". However, that's what men don't do!  That command to love Jesus is a command in itself, but people use Christian "liberty" to do as they please. It's true that we don't have to sin, but that we should want to NOT sin to show God our love! People aren't committed enough to loving God to do what he commands!

It's ironic that we have the liberty to "not love God", but if we "fail to love him" we break The Greatest Commandment "To love God!".  It seems that "loving God" is not optional, but a command, and to obey his commands is how we show love for him. How are we to obey those commands?  To love! See 1 Cor 13:4-7 above.

Psalm 37:5 (ESV) "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."

Look there it is! Psalms tells us to make a "commitment"!  To whom? "The Lord!" What type of commitment? "To trust in him!" Why? Because God will do what he says he will do. You can DEPEND ON GOD because God always does what he says he will do! How about you?