What’s in Your Portfolio?

 A Series on God’s Call to Ministry

1 Thessalonians 2:7b-12

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%202%3A7-12&version=NIV;NLT

[Preface: How do you know what your calling in life is? Will you know from a big bang experience? Or will it come quietly, almost imperceptible? Will you be inspired by the stories of a visiting missionary; or a book that opens your eyes to the needs of a specific people group; or from your own life experience? This series is about God’s call to ministry for your life; what it means or doesn’t mean.]

  

We all invest in something. 

You might invest in stocks or mutual funds. Your home is a big investment. Some people invest in real estate. For many people, they invest in their job. Others enjoy investing in antiques, sports memorabilia or collectibles.

Sometimes we invest in people. As an example, you might invest in your children by sending them to a private school or signing them up for sports teams or other activities. We also invest in our children by doing the little things for them that can make lifelong memories. My parents did that.

When I would ask her to, my Mom would make a yummy stack of French toast for me. And although he couldn’t carry a tune, my Dad would always wake me up for school by singing “School Days”. Memories like this, remind me that my parents loved me and invested their lives in mine.

Paul did the same thing with the believers in Thessalonica.

…we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. ⁸ We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.           NLT

 Paul invested his life in theirs. He lived with them; worked with them; shared with them; broke bread with them; laughed and cried with them. And by investing in their lives, the Lord called them to Him.

 

¹¹ And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. ¹² We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.     NIV

Investing in the lives of others is our calling. And, like Paul, when we do this, the Lord will call others to share in his grace; his forgiveness; his kingdom.

 What’s in your portfolio? Are you investing in the lives of people?