Commitment and Freedom

Commitment is not a dirty word

I have been doing more thinking about freedom and in particular what happens to it when you commit to something.

Freedom of choice is a wonderful thing.

I came to the fairly obvious  realisation this week that when you commit, you lose freedom. Commitment, is by definition, a voluntary reduction of freedom.

Apparently my generation, like no other, is scared of commitment.

Hugh Mackay called my generation the “options generation”

I found a review of his book, Generations, which said people my age:

….have learned to postpone long-term commitments in favour of short-term goals and temporary solutions. They’ve grown up in an environment marked by constant change and uncertainty. They live and breathe it without the anxiety of their parents or grandparents.

Mackay comments on this generation’s preference to ‘remain as non-committal as possible, for as long as possible’. Stability and predictability – even as goals – seem rather incongruous. Older generations are puzzled by the resulting reluctance to make long-term commitments to one course of study, one job, one sexual partner, one political party, one set of religious beliefs. What appears to be apathy or premature conservatism is more a case of ‘making it up as we go along’ – pouring passion and commitment into short term goals.

Does that sound familiar at all? How do you feel about commitment? If I am to follow the pattern of my generation, I will feel uncomfortable with anything that looks like a loss of freedom. I wonder whether that is why so many middle aged people are still finding their biggest and most engaging challenges through computer games or house renovations?

I remember the dawning awareness that my choices were no longer solely my own after I got married, and the shock of that truth after the arrival of my children.

Some people deal with the loss of their choices by reneging on their commitments. The fact that there are so many divorces and so many kids who don’t have two parents is an indicator that not all of us want to find ourselves restricted by our commitments.

Freedom to make choices based on feelings is actually a sign of immaturity. Ephesians 4:14 talks about what an immature person looks like:

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

One of the things that struck me about Nelson Mandela is that he was committed to a cause. Interestingly the cause that Mandela chose to commit to was freedom. He gave up his freedom to fight for freedom. I imagine there were times for him when his feelings were screaming to give up.

Commitment doesn’t give up.

Love is a commitment. Check out 1 Corinthians 13:6-8

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.Love never fails.

Psalm 37:3-6 indicates that God is calling for our commitment to him.

Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

So commitment matters.

If my personal freedoms are my primary motivation, chances are I will live a small life with little impact on the world or other people.

Peter Drucker said:

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.”

What are you committed to?