I will never forget…THE INVESTMENT IN ME!
As a child growing up in a small, but vibrant, growing church at the time, we had outgrown our small building. We began a building project with an enormous amount of faith. To raise funds to move forward, everyone present one evening, even children who accepted Christ and wanted to be a part of the process were given an amount of money, according to our abilities to invest it! Yes, just like this story that Jesus taught us. I was still in grade school, 5th grade, to be exact. I was given $2. (That was a lot of money back then in the 60’s!)

With the help of my mom, we went to the store and bought ingredients to make fudge. I made it. Cut it into generous pieces and wrapped each piece in clear wrap so my “customers” could see what they were buying. I put the pieces of fudge in my lunchbox and went off to see how much I could sell. I began with a boy who I knew would “bite” into this project with gusto because I had watched his abilities to eat before in the cafeteria. I knew my clients! God gave me that ability.

I sold each piece for 25 cents. Given the great ooh’s and ah’s review from the first kid’s purchase and consumption, I sold out before the first bell rang to begin class. Yahoo! More than doubled my investment! I ran home to tell mom. She called the pastor, he told me, “Great work, keep it up!” And I did. I made fudge every night it for a month, the time period of the project.

I don’t recall how much was made and sold, but I do remember the lesson I learned that season of my life. I have carried that attitude with me all this time. You cannot out give God and what He has given to you. You must invest, go out on a limb, take a risk for what is the “risk” really when God is in it?

I still live a pretty child-like, faith-filled simplistic life in some people’s minds. But I adore my Lord and what He shows me each day. Believe me, He is worth it all, through every trial and trouble, He teaches, comforts and says, “Great work, keep it up!” God is the One and Only for Whom His investment in You pays off every time. Every. Time.

NOW THE STORY THAT JESUS TAUGHT

Matthew 25, Message

The Story About Investment
14-18 “It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master’s investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master’s money.

19-21 “After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’

22-23 “The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master’s investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’

24-25 “The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’

26-27 “The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.

28-30 “‘Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.’

So, I ask the question again, How are we doing?

Dear Heavenly Father, You are incredibly awesome and unbelievably perfect…and I do believe and I cannot deny your power at work in us. You have shown me so many times the power of your love, mercy and grace. You have shown me how to live my life. You have also shown me how to raise up from my failures and missteps and invest again. Thank you for investing Your life for my family, friends and for me. Thank you for giving your life for everyone in the whole world. You gave Your One and Only Son so that we who believe would live with you forever. What an investment in our souls! Continue to teach us and go with us, Emmanuel! In Jesus Name, Amen