I read this statement this morning and I was intrigued; “Move from involvement to commitment”. Have you ever heard the story about the farmers breakfast? It seems that there was a chicken who had a bright idea. This chicken was trying to impress the farmer that owned it. But the chicken needed help to pull it off. So, she ambles over to the pig pen. She eases up to the fence and calls out to the largest pig she can see. The hog sloshes over to the fence and says, “good morning, chicken, what brings you to the pen today?” “I’ve come to ask for some help”, says the bird. “What can I do for you?” replies the odorous pig. “Well, I think I can get us in good with the farmer. I think I can arrange it so that we’ll have more feed and a nicer place to sleep. I believe that this idea will secure our future on this farm for as long as we live.” “I’m all ears” said the hog, “how do we do it?” To which the chicken replies, “I believe that if we will provide a hot breakfast for the farmer each morning then he will be so pleased with us that he will give us whatever we ask.” “What menu did you have in mind?” said the hog. “I believe”, said the chicken, “that the farmer prefers bacon and eggs.” To which the hog replies,”Well, your part would that take some inconvenience but my part would take total sacrifice.”

Move from involvement to commitment. Webster defines involvement as, “connected by participation or association”. If you look up commitment, this is what it says, “The state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to someone or something.” One involves inconvenience while the other requires total sacrifice.

Can a believer in Jesus be involved in the ministry without being committed? What do you suppose Jesus meant when He said, “deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.”

Sometimes a student will come up to me and ask, “what are ya’ll doing this week?” To which I will answer, “what are we doing?” That’s the we factor. I want the students of UAM to know that our ministry is their ministry. WE should be in this together. There should never be a ya’ll or they, it should always be WE. The same is true in our church.

But the level of that WE is determined by involvement or commitment. We should always be willing to give of our talents and skills and abilities and financial assets to further the work of the Kingdom. But it’s not my STUFF that Jesus wants most. It is ME. The heart and soul of Me. And the question is, “am I the chicken or the hog?” Am I willing just to inconvenience myself on His behalf or am I willing to be completely committed to the ministry of Jesus Christ? “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” (John 15.14,15) “If anyone would come after me, let must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 8.34b) Move from involvement to commitment.