Commitment

I did a few hospital visits today and was inspired and humbled. In today's society "church people", as I will call us, can be very fickle. We are a "me" society when it used to be a
'we" society. Today we want to know what the church can provide for me.

As I walked through the door to the room one of our older saints was feeding his wife who has recently had a stroke. She is in her 80's and he is is 91. He has been attending our church since he was 8 years old, before it was even really a church. It started out just as a "brush fire meeting" they'd have service around a bond fire at night. Talk about commitment. He knows that the body of Christ is more than a service or building. He knows it's about being committed to those God has placed you with. I have seen my share of "church hoppers", I was sort of one before I was in ministry, and even considered being one again a few years ago. Granted there are times when God calls people from one place to another and you should follow in obedience and other times situations are out of your control. But, people leave for all sorts of reasons: politics, music style, lack of programing, too much programing, lack of relationship, hypocrisy, lack of leadership, too much leadership, and the list can go on.

This man, though, this man has committed himself to the Body and played his role. He's seen pastors come and go, three to four name changes, denominational changes, building project after building project, and has faithfully attended and given through it all. His commtiment is not just seen in the church but also to his wife. In March of they will have spent 64 years together. There are so many qualities that are being lost as "the greatest generation" live out their final years here.

Honest. Faithful. Supportive. Committed. Things people are afraid or unable to be today.

What keeps the current generations from living out and carrying these qualities.