Is it too much to ask?

Commitment.  Some of you are about to move your mouse over to the X just from seeing the word on the screen.  It is something that I have had on my heart for a while now.  It is something that every organization, school, church and even person in a relationship struggles with and yet, it is vital to all of these institutions.  Am I the only one who has witnessed a decline in this trait once assumed of every productive citizen? As our schedules become busier we find even more excuses to not do what we say we will do.  I find for me, it is often in proportion to how much I am held accountable in one way or another.  For instance, I might run late to help set up at the church, but do you think those sweet ladies are going to say anything??? I would not be late to a hair appointment, Dr. appointment or to work!  Why? because I am motivated by the negative consequences.
  Beyond this, it is even more rare to find a soul who will commit without wavering to something that requires long term work and sacrifice without seeking out personal gain.  For a number of years now, I have been blessed to be with a group of believers who come together and pray very early in the morning, often on the weekends.  The response I often get when people hear about this is "I couldn't do THAT!" I am convinced that the reason we retract so quickly when someone asks us to commit to something, is because we look at our own self and our own circumstances first, instead of looking at who God is and His purposes.  Should we give of ourselves only where it is easy?  What would happen if we quit saying "I'll have to think about it, I don't want too, it's too hard, I don't have time, I don't know how...and most honestly I just don't FEEL like it.  A wise person once said to me something I will never forget: "So what if It's hard?!"  Can we apply this when the next message of doubt or laziness comes along.  What if doing so caused someone else to wonder "who is this Jesus you are so committed to?"
Can we hold each other to account for the reputation of our Savior?  Let's do it.