Commitment. Seems fairly simple yet I think it is becoming harder and harder to find. For years I have been the adult basketball coordinator at our church. Most of the people that have come to play don't go to our church but over the years have consistently come out every Thursday night at 7 PM to shoot some hoops for a couple of hours. But over the past few months and years, I have seen a change. Attendance has dropped way off and no one has shown up for the past couple of weeks. There just doesn't seem to be much of a commitment among the younger guys. A lot of people have come and gone and usually they have a good excuse - they have gotten injured, a new job, school, family issues and so on. But a lot just don't commit. And not just to basketball - I hear them talking about their jobs as well and there is no dedication there either. One thing I always did, and have instilled in the kids, is to do the best you can do at whatever you do. That's not something I made up - it's Biblical (Colossions 3:23). When I mowed cemeteries, I was the best mower the town had ever seen and the town knew that every cemetery I was assigned to (which was all of them!) would be mowed - on time and right. When I was a breakfast cook, dishwasher, or whatever, I worked hard and stuck to it. My name was on a schedule and I owned that block of time. It was my responsibility to show up and show up on time. It was not so much that I loved the work, in fact most times I didn't. Rather it was me fulfilling my obligation. Other people were depending on me and when I agreed to the job or duty or project, I was responsible for seeing it through. One thing I hope people will say about me is that I was dependable. Tell me once and it is done. When Ashleigh and Elliott were growing up and involved in sports, there were times when they wanted to quit. Lucie and I made sure that did not happen. They committed to the team and the team needed them till the end of the season. They took that simple lesson to heart and applied it to their schoolwork, jobs, and volunteer activity. And they are successful in what they do. And stand out. And they are carrying on the "tradition." Meanwhile, basketball is canceled for the summer until I can round up some people that understand commitment, dedication, and responsibility. And I will be back - every Thursday night at 7.
