Show and Tell Commitment

I don't know about you, but sometimes I'm not a very trusting person. It really takes alot for me to trust... because I've been let down by so many people over my lifetime. And trust, once broken, is not an easy thing to re-establish.

In human relationships, in order to trust a person's commitment to us, we really need more than their word that they "will be there" for us, especially if the history between us just isn't that extensive. Or, I can promise you something, but unless you see some hope of commitment, you'll always be a little skeptical. Words simply aren't enough...

During my early years of elementary school, we used to have a time called "Show & Tell", where you were allowed to bring in a toy or gift or something, and talk about it: when did you get it? Who bought it? Where is it from? Why is it special? Now, if you didn't have your toy with you on your day to share, then you lost your share time... because it's ONE thing to talk about your toy... quite another thing for your fellow classmates to be able to SEE IT. Because when I see what it is you're describing, I can put 2 + 2 together; I have more than just an idea of what you're talking about; what you say and what I see go hand in hand.

Sometimes we think it's enough to just say how we feel in our commitments to one another; showing it is irrelevant. But what is true of toys is true of people: I KNOW what you mean, by adding together what you say and what I see. If the two are incongruent, then ambiguity is the result... I don't really know that you mean what you say.

Not even God "says" without "showing"... He puts the two together, you know. The Bible says, "God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for our sins..." (Rom. 5:8). Real commitment has proof... because words sometimes just aren't enough. And that's not all... Jesus died for us, so that we can have eternal life. He gave us His word that we can live forever... and then He rose from the dead!! Jesus' resurrection showed that we can take Him at His word!

Show and tell commitment... words sometimes just aren't enough.