Why should I invest in others?

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Today on run with horses we're considering why you should invest in other people.

We have spent some time in the past few shows thinking about our priorities and how we spend our lives.
There are lots of things you can invest in but I don't think there's anything that will give you the return of investment that you will get when you invest in people. You can invest in the stock market ,you can invest in your career ,you can invest in your hobbies, you can invest in yourself, but when you invest in other people you change lives and you make a difference for eternity. There is nothing that compares to investing in someone else's life and seeing real life change take place.

Do you want to live a life of value and purpose that makes a difference here and now and an eternity? Then I suggest you look at the people around you and consider how you can use your gifts, talents, and abilities to help them grow in Christ likeness. It will be life changing not only for them but also for you. I believe that there is very little that changes you as much as investing in someone else. You are forced to get outside of your own head, to stop thinking about your own problems, and you really have to consider where someone else is and what they need more than yourself. When you do that you change at a very deep personal level.

Our goal is to walk worthy of Christ.
1 Thess 2: 11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

In the past few shows we've spent some time thinking about our priorities and how we spend our lives. But as we think about how we spend our lives, I don't think there's anything more valuable or important than investing in other people.

When you think about what will give you meaning at the end of your life, when you consider your priorities as a follower of Jesus, when you think about your values, if you are a follower of Jesus, I think they will best be represented by really encouraging and investing in other people.

So what does it mean to invest in other people? Go back to 1 Thess. 2, I think this is part of it. Paul is writing to the Thessalonian church, and he says that he did several things. We exhorted you, we comforted you, and we charged every one of you as a father does his own children.

So he's doing three things. He  encouraged and comforted and challenged them to follow Christ well, to walk worthy. And along the way that they would put effort in to following Jesus. Not just "hey do well," try your best," or "be encouraged" - but he challenged them for something very specific: That they would walk worthy of God. That they would recognize that God has called them; He's called them to something great; He challenges them to actually apply real effort into following Jesus.

God has called YOU into His Kingdom! He has blessed YOU with every spiritual blessing! He is relating to YOU as a Father relates to His children! He invites YOU take part in HIS ministry!

Let us now walk worthy of THAT!

He goes on later in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 11 and says: "Therefore comfort each other and edify one another just as you are also doing." So he again repeats the idea that we need to be comforting each other, but he's also saying edify, build each other up. You want to invest in each other so that all reach maturity, so that you're all built up, so that in the future you're all stronger than you are today. That's part of his vision for the people he's working with - that they grow, they mature, and that they become more like Jesus.

The writer of Hebrews has some similar things to say in Hebrews chapter 3 verse 12 and 13: "Beware lest there be in any of you with an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God." So be careful that you don't get pulled away by your own desires; by unbelief; by the distraction of the world and all those things. But instead of being pulled away - and to make sure that YOU'RE not pulled away - exhort one another daily! Every day look for opportunities to encourage and challenge and exhort and build up and edify one another. It says: "While it is called 'Today,' lest any of YOU be hardened through deceitfulness."

We live in a world where our life really pulls us away from God. And one reason why it's worth investing in each other; really being involved in each others' lives is because it helps us walk this path better; follow Jesus better; more consistently.

We all have distractions! We all have days when we're going to do poorly! But if we are exhorting one another...walking together...encouraging EACH OTHER...if we're living this life together IN COMMUNITY then it's easier for us continue on without being distracted or pulled away!

Proverbs 27:17 is a very familiar passage which says: "As iron sharpens iron, so iron sharpens the countenance of his friend." And it speaks to the idea that we serve a valuable role in each others' lives. We help each other be better because we invest; because we contribute; because we intentionally put in the effort to build up, to sharpen each other. That's what biblical friends do.

Think about an axe: When it's sharp, it works better! If we're investing in someone else's life, then WE'RE helping THEM be better! And that's really our goal as disciples and disciple makers!

I would say it's really important that we invest in others because the result of not investing in others is often selfishness. You know, if you don't invest and think about others...it usually means you're primarily thinking about yourself.

You only have a couple options: You are working towards something - contributing effort and time and energy - either for yourself or for someone else. The life I think is well lived is a life that's lived meaningfully investing IN SOMEONE ELSE!

I think THAT'S where the greatest joy is! It's where the greatest satisfaction is! A lot of personal issues...personal things that we fear or worry about or are concerned about seem much less important when WE'RE investing IN SOMEONE ELSE!

When WE'RE seeking NOT OUR OWN GOOD but THE GOOD OF SOMEONE ELSE! When WE'RE seeking TO SEE THEM CHANGED...TO SEE THEM GROW...

That energy...that focus keeps us from dwelling on our own issues. Our own issues become too big in our eyes when were completely focused ON them. When were thinking ONLY ABOUT this problem THAT WE HAVE, IT becomes SO BIG, THERE SEEMS NO WAY AROUND IT!

But when YOU look at someone else’s life – one reason why WE NEED EACH OTHER – you can see THEIR PROBLEM IN GOD AND THE PERSON,  YOU’RE NOT QUITE SO EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED TO IT…SO YOU’RE IN A BETTER PLACE TO see the real picture and offer needed HELP!

That’s also true when YOU’RE the one that needs help. You need people who are investing IN YOU…who are looking at YOUR issues and helping you see that, “Hey! God's still there! The problem is not as big as it seems like when you're in the middle of the mess!”

So we NEED each other! That's an important part of the spiritual life that we can never get away from.

Check out runwithhorses.net for show notes and past shows. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net if you have comments or questions. Join our facebook community and tell a friend if you have found this show helpful! Keep Running!