Digging Deeper: Commitment

College football has grown tremendously nationwide in recent years. With playoff expansion, “super conferences,” and multibillion-dollar TV deals, it has become much more than the traditional amateur competition it once was.

One thing that is hard to appreciate as a fan is watching top high school players “commit” to a school… then decommit… then recommit… then decommit again and choose a completely different school. I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to be a top-tier athlete choosing between major universities, especially now that thousands—or even millions—of dollars could be at stake because of NIL opportunities.

However, I do get tired of the lack of commitment. If you aren’t ready to choose a school, no problem—but don’t announce a commitment just for the clicks, only to flip to another school the night before signing your National Letter of Intent!

Commitment means “a promise or firm decision to do something.” It may not be the best term to use for college athletes selecting a school, but when it comes to marriage, it is exactly the right word.

God designed marriage to be a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman (Matthew 19:6). I have many 18- to 22-year-olds who work for me, and several of them are in the season of deciding whether it’s time to “pop the question.” I always offer two pieces of advice:

1. Don’t ask the question unless you’re confident you know what the answer will be.
2. It’s like Scott Hall used to describe the NWO: “For life.”

Most of them don’t get the NWO reference, but if you do, then we can be friends.

My point is that marriage is a lifelong covenant—a sacred one—and it should never be entered into lightly.

This week, we’ve studied God’s commandment, “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). As we’ve looked at what makes marriages strong and helps guard against temptations of every kind, one key characteristic continues to surface: active commitment from both spouses.

Active commitment has been described as “the daily, intentional practice of choosing your partner above your own immediate needs.” Paul echoes this principle in Ephesians as he describes the sacrificial relationship between husbands and wives (Ephesians 5:22–33). Choosing each day to place your spouse’s needs above your own is a powerful way to deepen your relationship and strengthen your marriage.

The expectation is clear. We are called to follow the example of Jesus by sacrificing our own desires for the good of our spouse and the health of the relationship. That’s what active commitment looks like—it is a choice we make every single day.

There are no “off days” in a marriage. Our best effort is required each day. We are human and therefore imperfect, but when both husband and wife embrace a lifestyle of sacrificial love and mutual commitment, the result is a marriage that honors both the Lord and one another.