Investing in People

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16)

Everyone invests his life in something by virtue of his living. No moment can be saved for another day. Time once spent can never be recaptured. If this life is the seedtime of eternity, how do you best spend your life preparing for your time with God? Scripture answers this question by telling you to invest in the “fruit that remains.”

What is the fruit that remains? The Bible teaches that this imperishable fruit is human beings. Jesus invested His life in people. When He died, He died for people. He urged His followers, “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life.” People are important; people last forever.

Things, on the other hand, have no intrinsic value. A beautiful cup may have utilitarian value in that it helps in getting drink to your mouth, but it is temporal and will not endure the consummation of the age. This does not mean that you should misuse temporal resources. Quite the contrary, God will hold you accountable, in part, for how you steward these resources.

As Christ’s obedient servant, use things to invest in people. An axiom of Scripture is: Steward the temporal; give your life in exchange for the eternal. Keep the value of your possessions in proper perspective; they are resources given by God to assist you in investing in “the fruit that remains.” This best prepares you for an eternity with Him. What does your investment portfolio reveal about your belief?

[This is from one of my prized devotional books, Thoughts From The Diary Of A Desperate Man by Walter A. Henrichsen. Email: walter@leadershipfoundation.org]