“He who separates himself seeks his own desire, he quarrels against all sound wisdom.” – Proverbs 18:1

In 1979, sociologist Robert Bellah wrote in one of his research that many had no sense of community or social obligation. They saw the world as a fragmented place of choice and freedom that yielded little meaning or comfort. They even seemed to have lost the language to express commitment to anything besides themselves. He called this "ontological individualism," the belief that the individual is the only source of meaning. This New Age belief of self-focus is affecting all of our institutions and crippling our workplace, marriage, and family at an alarming rate.

We are created as relational beings to relate with God and His creation. We are hardwired to connect with others, without which there is no meaning to life. After the fall, man’s vertical relationship with God was broken and affected all his horizontal relationships. “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Ro 8:22-23) As Christians we too go through the same struggles in this world. But praise God, our spirits are connected to the Lord to give us meaning and purpose even in the midst of suffering in this life.

The greatest joy in our life is to give ourselves to others and help them to grow in their callings. We cannot do this without commitment. And I find the best way to learn about this commitment is through various teams God had placed me in throughout my journey in this life.

Let’s pray.

Lord, thank you for giving me a sense of purpose and meaning through my relationship with you and others around me. Help me to be totally committed to the vision you have given my team. Amen.

Before we go, take a look at the questions below:

1. Why is it said that "ontological individualism" can cause damage to our workplace, family, and marriage? How does it conflict with God's original intent in creating humans?

2. What instances of people being unwilling to commit have you observed in work and life?

3. What roles do commitment within a team play for the success of the team and personal growth? Why is it said that the different teams God places around us are the best occasions for us to learn commitment?