Investing

1 Thessalonians 2:8   so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.   

Invest………….  we each will have a different thought when we’re asked “What do we invest in?”.  Most would say is 1st a financial thought.  Stocks, bonds, IRA , whatever form we need to get a financial return is what we invest in. We might move to our careers. Which school, academic grades, job choices,  whatever is going to make us the most successful in the career arena is what we invest in. Some invest in their hobbies,  health, religious knowledge, our homes and our churches.

I invest alot of time in my hobby. I love to have a beautiful yard and it takes time, sweat and sometimes tears of pain but it’s worth it for me to have a beautiful yard so I INVEST IN IT.

In Thessalonians, he is talking about people.  Investing in people.   Unlike my yard and my flowers, I can plant it and most of the time it will grow without me doing 1 other thing to it. But sometimes I have to fertilize it, nurture it and feed it so that the roots will take hold and grow strong.  People are the same in that way.  I can’t say “HI” to someone and they automatically become my best friend.  I can’t quote a scripture to them on God’s love and they automatically become a follower of Jesus.  I can’t invite them for dinner, feed them a meal and think they will put down roots and grow strong.  I have to invest my time with them.  Generally that means a life time, theirs and mine.

I have had many people over the years invest in me.  Help me through the rocky mountains and pull me up from deep deep valleys.  They have nurtured me , feed me and walked with me as my roots became deeper and my heart became stronger.

1 Thessalonians 2:8   so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

We must invest. Just as we invest in our finances, careers, hobbies, homes and churches, we must invest in people.  We 1st must invest in the people we live with.  Be delighted to share the gospel of God with everyone you meet. Invest for a life time and you’ll be invested for an eternity.

Lord, You know me better than I know myself.  You know my areas of weakness and you know what I need to become deep rooted in You and fully invested in others.  Help me! Amen.