The Great Commitment

Servant-leader disciples learn to love God, love people, and make disciples with a level of commitment that goes well beyond simply being involved, as the following fable illustrates.

“One fine day a chicken and a pig were out for their morning stroll. Their journey took them in front of a diner with a large neon sign announcing the breakfast special of the day. The chicken spoke first, saying to the pig, “Did you see the sign? Today’s breakfast special highlights the importance of my life.” He continued, “Look. It says today’s breakfast special is eggs and ham. You see?” The chicken said, swelling up with pride. “They put the eggs before the ham because chickens are more important than pigs.” The pig shook its head and retorted, “Your pride has blinded you to the truth.” The chicken, with a look of confusion, asked, “What do you mean?” To which the pig answered, “Let me explain, my friend. Chickens are important; that much is true, but they are only involved in this breakfast special. Pigs, on the other hand, are committed to it. This breakfast requires chickens to lay eggs, but pigs must lay down their lives.”

The moral of the story is clear. There is a significant difference between simply being involved and being fully committed to something.

Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24, NASB).

The great commitment required of servant-leader disciples to the great commandment and the great commission is for them to be all in, willing to lay down their lives in more ways than one.

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Vallejo, J. M. (2021). Servant-Leader Discipleship: Equipping people to grow in love for the work of service.

The origin of this fable can be traced to Bennett Cerf who published “Try and Stop Me” in the Titusville, Pennsylvania Herald on June 13, 1950.