Skip to main content

Spending vs Investing



We're not talking finances here, but something of greater value.  A recent question from a devotion..."What do you think is the difference between spending your life doing something and investing it in something?"  Do you have a way of regularly evaluating how productive you are being for God? 

As an active part of my local church, I 'do' a lot. Along with many other church workers, we have an active church, due to those who do a lot.
A recent addition of a weekly meal brought out several new and different tasks a Family Ministries team I am a part of do and love.  Food planning, shopping and preparation, connecting with many gracious volunteers turns out a fabulous meal each week.   Being a 'doer' gets things done and we often see fantastic results.

But investing, that is a little different.  Where 'doing' can come easy, investing asks us to put forth a little bit more.  We lose that mode where we simply do the task and see the completion.  Investing is more about sowing seeds and waiting for a harvest. Investing pours from us into the life of others, it may involve sacrifice, take us out of our comfort zone and often finds us working alone, but depending solely on God.  Doing can be easy and enjoyable, quick and fun.  Investing takes depth, wisdom and purpose to put our own needs aside for the betterment of someone else.  Are we willing to invest in the lives of others for their betterment?

Do we evaluate how productive we are for God?  That was a question I've never pondered before.  God doesn't require an evaluation, it is simply a tool for us to stop (amidst all the doing) and ask if this task is making a viable difference in another's life.  Is it touching, teaching or showing the things of God to another? 

As we go about our busy days, may we be sensitive and intentional to invest in someone else.
Labels:

Comments

  1. SandraJanuary 28, 2016 at 10:29 AM

    I have done so many 'things' over the years but am now at a place that I want to invest in other's lives, to encourage them, cook a meal when they are sick etc. It's so easy to do what others have planned at church, and they are needful, but that is not always what God calls us to do. I love hearing his voice and his promptings to help someone.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for sharing your commment. It is a joy and blessing to hear from you and your words are appreciated.

Popular posts from this blog

Sometimes We Score, Sometimes We Block

Our family is in the midst of little league soccer season. My youngest son is playing and his enthusiasm is contagious. He is pretty good at the sport, but what makes it so great is that he loves it! He counts the days until the next game or practice. He loves his coach and teammates. He has moved up an age level this year and the players are working more like team, passing to each other and watching out for each other during play. During the last game, my son scored two goals, they were the only goals of the game. In today's game the team scored eight goals. My son came up afterwards to me and said, "I didn't score today, but I blocked". What a powerful truth those words can hold. In life, sometimes we score, sometimes we block. Sometimes we do great things, we excel, we achieve, we meet our goal - we score! There are also times we see the needs of others, sometimes they are sad or hurting, we block their hits. We look out for them so they can score. We...
17 comments
Read more

Paths of Prayer

Today, I'm joining up with Five Minute Friday, a fun writing opportunity to connect and share a quick thought on this week's theme "Path". For many years, when coming across a Scripture about 'paths', it turned into a prayer and desire to be led down God's open paths. Through the years of life which included, marriage, keeping a home, job, raising children and as they began to explore their own paths, seeking God and His paths became a vital part of life and prayer.  As God's Word reveals God's goodness and His ways, I want to be walking - living a lifestyle on the paths that He leads.  Some of my favorite 'path' verses include: Proverbs 4:18 "But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day."   Psalm 25:4,  "Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths,"  Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your way...
2 comments
Read more

Construction, Challenges, Chaos

 Who knew something simple could erupt into something chaotic so quickly? A broken file cabinet forced us to purchase a new one. We found one online, ordered it and it arrived quickly with a do it yourself assembly book, complete with 24 part packages and 18 steps of instructions!  As we unpacked the items and compared with the instruction book, we realized a part was missing. Customer service was called, a replacement part was quickly received. Except, the screws did not fit into the holes on the replacement part. We tried again, received another part, same issue.  Meanwhile, the 24 packages of parts are spread out on my living room floor, customer service does not understand my issue, they asked for photos which were sent and now we are again, waiting for a part.  It seems every project faces the inevitable delay. My work place is undergoing a floor remodel. Upheaval, dust, packing, lots of inconvenience and depending on the work crew's schedule dictate the next fe...
Post a Comment
Read more