A “Commitment” Person
A commitment person is someone who says what they mean and means what they say…a promise keeper.
Two weeks ago, we had the privilege of attending a 60th birthday party for a dear friend (like a sister to me). I was so blessed by the focus of the party-celebrating the life of a truly amazing woman. The word used to describe her as we began a time of tribute was “BRILLIANT”. The dictionary definition of brilliant is having or showing great intelligence or talent , distinguished, illustrious, shining brightly, sparkling. She is the epitome of all those things but SO much more!!! She brightens up every room she enters. She shines her vibrant personality onto all who know her and when you are with her, you feel like the most important person in her world at that moment. She is a shining star and she shines from the inside out. She has a contagious love that demonstrates compassion, kindness and grace overflowing from her deep abiding faith in Jesus Christ. But what I love the most about her is she is a commitment person!
Have you ever experienced a friendship with someone who is truly committed to you? A person who wants to see you strive for your goals and helps you achieve them and then celebrates with you? Have you ever been that kind of friend for someone else? What characteristics do you cherish in a deep abiding friendship? As you think about the people who have come into your life, which friends have been the “stick with you through thick and thin” kind of friends?
For me, I am drawn to people who are authentic, transparent, humble and others centered. I am challenged to be a better version of myself when I spend time with like-minded people who have a similar world view, a similar faith and a similar passion to love others as Christ does. But, I do also love the way my life is challenged to grow and change when I spend time with authentic, passionate people who think differently than I do, who question my faith and push me to live a genuine life where my actions match my beliefs, where my walk and my talk are in harmony. These are what I call “commitment people”. I want to be a commitment person. I want to follow through with my promises. I want to regard my friends as precious and show them respect. When I say I will pray for them, I want to mean it and do it! When I say I want to meet them for a coffee or lunch date, I want to make a date and keep it. When I volunteer to help them with a project, I want to show up and give them 100%. I want to be a faithful friend, an active listener, and engaging communicator. I want to be an encouragement. I want to light up someone’s life and make them believe in themselves. I want to share my faith with them and share my source of strength. I want to be “BRILLIANT”-to shine for Christ in my relationships with others.
The key to being a commitment person is summed up in this quote from the apostle Paul in a letter he wrote to his friends in the church in Philippi. “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:1-5
Who is your life is a “commitment” person? How can you work on being a “commitment” person in the life of someone you know?
