Commitment
By Don Campbell
Charles Dickens began his monumental work, The Tale of Two Cities, with the oft-quoted words, "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." At any given time, there are those who are saying, "These are bad times, dangerous times, the worst of times." They are probably right. On the other hand, at any given time, there are those who are saying, "These are good times, joyful times, the best of times." And, they are probably right.
How can both be right? Every age—even every day—has both its dangers and opportunities. The Chinese characters for the word "crisis" can mean either danger or opportunity. Is our present age the best of times or the worst of times? That depends on whether or not we face the dangers and turn them into opportunities or flee them and hide in a cave, as did Elijah. Do we have the men and women to match the moment?
Our country needs men and women who are:
- Committed to meeting their responsibilities as strongly as they are to maintaining their rights
The church needs men and women who are:
Committed to Christ more than to dogma
Committed to the community of Christ more than to sectarianism
Committed to the battle against evil more than to political ideology
True commitment helps hold us together when the world around us is flying apart. The world is filled with broken dreams and shattered hopes. There is no reason to believe that the upheavals of our time will not leave some shattered and broken lives, but this is not a time for pessimism and despair. It is a time for faith, hope, and love. These can make the worst of times into the best of times.