If you take a stand for truth, expect trouble. If you don’t go along with the crowd, expect to be ridiculed. And the Christian will have to suffer both if he is to remain true to his commitment.

Notice, I said commitment. The Bible has considerable to say about commitment. For one thing, Jesus said, “No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looketh back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62). You don’t look back if you’re committed—you look up and you look out. Commitment is what discipleship is all about. It’s about taking up your cross—whatever that cross may be—and following. In spite of the difficulty. Regardless of the inconvenience (Matt. 16:24). Commitment is staying the course all the way to the end (2 Tim. 4:7-8). Commitment is working out your own salvation—all the way out (Phil. 2:12). Commitment is giving diligence to make your calling and election sure (2 Pet. 1:10).

Commitment is more than just saying “I’m going to do it.” It’s a promise that you will. It’s saying, “I have contracted and I will not go back on my agreement.” Commitment is about responsibility, it’s about holding yourself accountable. Commitment is doing it even when it hurts—especially if it hurts.

It counts with others what you do about matters. It has an effect on those around you. If you have an attitude of continuance no matter what, those around you are likely to respond accordingly. Conversely, if you don’t have the kind of attitude that you’re not going to be deterred in your efforts, that vacillation, that hesitation, that doubt is apt to rub off on others. Lou Holtz, renowned football mentor, speaking about commitment, once said,

If you don’t make a total commitment to whatever you’re doing, then you start looking to bail out the first time the boat starts leaking. It’s tough enough getting that boat to shore with everybody rowing, let alone when a guy stands up and starts putting his life jacket on.

There’s work to do. We must be committed to that work. There are folks who need the gospel of Christ, folks that need the forgiveness of sins available in Him, folks who need to know about heaven and hell. And while it is certain that not everybody is qualified to do the teaching necessary for such instructions, there needs to be a commitment strong enough that each person feels strongly his need to do whatever he can, be it ever so small. There are some things everybody—no exceptions—can do.

Can you invite someone? Can you just say, “Would you attend worship services with me this week?” Everybody can do that.

Can you hand someone a tract? Can you give them a piece of literature and say, “would you please read this when you have time?” Everybody can do that.

Can you interject some spiritual truth into the conversation? Now, that may take some amount of courage, but you can do it, if you will. Everybody can do that.

Can you tell someone, “I have a friend named Bubba Garner (or Brent Moody) who preaches. Would you like to come hear him?” Everybody can do that.

Can you ask someone, “Where do you go to church?” That almost always elicits a response that asks, “where do you go?” Then you can say, “Why don’t you come visit we me?” Everybody can do that.

Can you say to someone, “Boy, the world’s in a mess isn’t it? At the Southside church of Christ where I attend, we’re trying to get people to be better. Why don’t you come and see?” Everybody can do that.

If everybody can do these things—and others like them—why is it not being done more regularly? Well, it’s simple: commitment. It takes commitment to think about opportunities, both to look for them, and to make them. It takes commitment to ignore your tendency to timidity and do what you know to do is right. It takes commitment to turn a conversation in the way of better things.

If God takes note of each sparrow that falls to the ground, I know full well that He will take note of my simple little efforts to do something for the cause. It may not be much, but it will benefit me, if I will but do it. It may even fail, but He will know that I tried. It may cause me some inconvenience at times, but that’s nothing compared to what Jesus did for me. It may even cause me some persecution, but I have not yet “resisted unto blood, striving against sin” (Heb. 12:4). And just prior to that, in verse 3, the writer says, “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faith in your minds.”

Let us, brethren, lay aside the weights, let us consider the seriousness of our situation, let us embolden ourselves for the work that is to be done.

“Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” (Eccl. 9:10).

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