Crisis of Commitment

I do. I promise.  I will.  RSVP.  What do these words invoke in you?  Maybe a sense of commitment?  A sense of unease?  Or a sense of excitement?  Let me tell you a little story about these words and commitment.  At my church I am a young adult women’s life group leader.  I have a set schedule for the year lined up for when life group is.  However, the day of life group comes and I have two people show up.  At least 10 RSVP’d.  This is not the first time that happened.  This is a problem across our whole entire young adult’s ministry.  Y’all we have a problem.

How many of you have been brushed off for a better opportunity – whether it be events, a relationship, or a job? How many of you have brushed off others for a better opportunity?  According to Jake Novak at CNBC, “Study after study shows that younger American adults ages 18 to 33 are less likely to own a home, have a full-time job, own a car, or even use a credit card than older American generations when they were that age.” (The Real Problem with Millennials).  Apparently the younger generation has a problem committing to almost anything.  The good news is Jake Novak says that younger American adults are committing to tattoos (of all things).  So, maybe there’s hope?  There has been a decline in commitment across younger generations that makes no sense.

Did you know that millennials have a hard time committing to jobs? In church on Sunday we discussed the commitment phobia of younger adults to a workplace.  The pastor talked about the fear of commitment to a job because there was probably a better opportunity out there.  This seems to be the heart of the millennial – Is this the right thing or is there something better?  This has even been evidenced by decreasing rates of marriages in the country (the CDC has more data if you are interested in exact numbers).  What if instead of looking for that magical job, house, opportunity, or mate we bloomed where we were planted?

We as Christian young adults have an opportunity to be an example for others. The Bible actually has quite a bit to say about commitment.  Matthew 5:37 (ESV) states, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”  God calls us to keep our words.  Growing up in my home I was always taught to never promise to do anything unless it was for getting married.  Why?

A promise is an oath before God.  If you cannot follow through on that you are breaking a covenant between you and another person when you made that promise before God.

Somewhere along the way we lost track of the sacredness of our word.

As Christian young adults we have an opportunity to say we believe our words are sacred. When other young adults see this, they may be impressed and want to know more.  Matthew 12:37 (ESV) says, “…for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

If you know that you may not be able to or cannot commit to something, please do not do it.  I have heard many older adults comment on the “lack of commitment or reliability” of young adults.  We can make a change and show that commitment is still alive in young adults. I believe this verse inspires commitment to the workplace, your neighborhood, your church, and your relationships:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the LORD, not for human masters… -Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

Join me in a pledge to commit to using our words and actions wisely.

I,                                                , pledge to use my words wisely and commit to everything I do through words and deeds – not for others but as a lover and witness of Christ Jesus.