Let me reassure you: this is not a post about monetary investment. So, if you came here expecting that I would say, “Leave.” But then again, I would like for you to read on. 🙂 I might actually say something worth “investing” in.
If someone were to ask you what is the best investment a person could make, what would you say?
I reckon it depends on your frame of reference as to what you might say.
If you are into financial investments you might give a stock tip.
Or you might point them to Dave Ramsey, and encourage them to get out of debt.
If you are into fashion, you might tell them where to buy clothes.
Then again, if you are into things that have lasting ramifications, you might tell them something else. Like:
INVEST IN YOUR CHILDREN.
INVEST IN OTHER CHILDREN.
INVEST IN THE ETERNAL AND NOT THE EXTERNAL.
May I make just one small SMALL suggestion? How about investing in love? Right now, not just in my area, but all around the country, is the time for graduation-high school and college. Ceremonies. Parties. Best wishes. Plans. Send offs. Notes about being BFFs. Speeches. Speeches about challenges. Goals. Fulfillment. Success. All well and good, mind you. But I seriously doubt many graduates will hear about investing in love. Here is why I say that:
GENUINE LOVE TRANSFORMS WHAT WE BELIEVE INTO HOW WE LIVE.
What greater challenge can there be for the church, and for us as individuals? I am not talking about the sirrupy-sappy “love song” type of love. Not the “Barney-type” of “I-love-you-you-love-me.” I am talking about genuine love that looks beyond the surface and gets to the heart of the matter. Jesus put it this way: “You are to love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind. Then love your neighbor as yourself.” There it is! Love God first. Love people as an outgrowth of His love in you. It is an investment of your life…to God first…then to others. Easy? Not on your life! Worth it? You bet!! Sounds like a winner to me. Maximum investment. Minimal returns…for now. 🙂 The truth is: no church can go wrong by investing in the lives of its people and the community surrounding it. No individual can go wrong by investing in the lives of those with whom we come in contact.
Have any thoughts you would like to share? I would be honored if you would share them.
It’s the best investment we can make — love. Good post, Bill.
Agreed Glynn. Thanks for the comment.
Too often it seems we get caught up in seeming like we are loving, but not BEING loving. We say the right words, but fail to do the right actions. I think that insincere love is worse than hate.
That last sentence is a powerful keeper Matt. Thanks.
It is the best investment for sure. It’s tough to pour into others, but so worth it.
You are right Michael. It takes work and time. Hope your weekend went well and the new church is moving along. Thanks for coming by.
When you truly invest in loving you are investing in all the other things that you list. Good thoughts my friend.
Thanks Jim. Hope your weekend went well.
The greatest thing we can invest in is love. Everything else will fade away but love will always be around. Great post to think about.
Another area I feel like we all should invest in is the area of personal growth. This is my personal thought.
Oh yeah, totally agree with you Dan. It does an investment many times over to grow. Thanks for a great suggestion.
I would suggest you all check out Dan’s post here: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/LSVr/~3/ISl8OB23P8U/associating-with-right-people.html
Hi Bill,
I love this post 🙂 Love as they say is a many splendored thing. It’s amazing. I want to love more and more. I want to be so full of love that I’m beside myself so to speak. In a good way 🙂
The Bible says that the greatest of hope, faith and love is love. That’s got to mean something. Love was God’s motivation for giving his Son. If he gave the Son away to us, then the Son is now ‘ours’ to have and to hold and to serve in love.
Love is so many things, and it is something that is so important to people. People want and need Love.
Have a good day Bill.
It is good to hear from you Linda! Sounds like either things are going well or this struck a chord. 🙂 You are right in saying that people need and want love. Thanks.
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8
I think this verse says enough. 🙂
Can I just AMEN to that?
This is so true. I think it’s easy (at least for me) to get busy doing all the things that I need/want to do, and forget to really love others. I would love to get to a point where it becomes a habit for me, but right now I still need reminders. So thanks for the reminder.
So good to have you visit Jenn! I think there would a long line standing behind you in doing all the things we need/want and forgetting to love. 🙂
Side: hey y’all! I’d like you to check out Jenn’s blog. she is a single mom with a beautiful little girl (shiloh). She writes from her heart. You will be blessed.
“Love people as an outgrowth of His love in you.”
That’s good stuff right there!
Thanks Tony. Wish i could say I came up with that but I think SOMEONE beat me to it! 🙂 Thanks for commenting.
Just curious, What does this LOVE look like in your church community?
You raise a good question Terri. I believe one way we do it is investing in our children. Our summer program is packed full of activities and events for them to come in contact with various adults who love them and want to spend time with them. We invest in our young people by helping them go to camp so they can learn about walking with Christ. I will not cover it up so will say that we need to do a better job of reaching out to the community. We took a year off this past Christmas but on Christmas morning we fixed breakfast for anyone who wanted to come to the Lion’s Club and then delivered meals to shut ins and all those working (gas stations) in town. We can certainly do a better job. I would love to see us (myself included) be more active with our faith. I do think we do a pretty good job of accepting others in our church community, no matter their social status or dress. I have some men’s breakfasts planned and hope to cover this topic in the conversation. Thanks for asking. Did I help?
That was all good information, but what I am really interested in is how is love showing itself inside of your church community. It just seems like the “church” has become a place to come and sing a few songs and hear a sermon. There has to be more to it than that because I can do both of those things with ITunes and a podcast. Seems like the commandment to love the Lord and your neighbor both require an ongoing – growing – sacrificial relationship. Curious how LOVE was being cultivated within your church community.
I reckon i am somewhat lost in what you are looking for. I can say i believe we do have a caring church community. When a death occurs, our people will rally around the person(s) who is left. We try to fix meals for those who need them (hospital stays or sickness) and will visit when possible. We have one who will go to her grave saying her small group “saved” during her divorce. is that what you are shooting for?
Yes, that is more what I was looking for. So, does that mean your church has small groups?
We have small groups off and on. We have used them when we have been on a certain subject or topic during a Sunday morning. Our people seem to respond better to occasional small groups than constant. Plus it is hard when you don’t have someone specifically passionate about them and overseeing them. I wish we were more consistent to be truthful. Thanks for this discussion.
Hi Bill,
I just wanted to give you a surprise. I’m back.
I agree that the greatest investment one can ever make is the investment in LOVE. It’s the greatest commandment. I believe there’s investment like it.
Hey mercy! Good to have you back!! 🙂 You are right. There is no investment like love.
GENUINE LOVE TRANSFORMS WHAT WE BELIEVE INTO HOW WE LIVE.
Amen, Bill! Love is probably one of the most overused words, and at the end of the day so many still feel unloved. Investing in love is so important. Love God. Love people. That’s what it’s all about!
Yeah, it is overused but certainly not over-practiced. If so, we would not have people feeling like you have stated…unloved. thanks for a good comment Jon.
Not over-practiced…. Bill, so true.
We talk about love, loving other people, etc, etc… but actually putting it into practice is another thing.
Challenging post, really enjoyed it.
Thanks Dustin. gotta wonder why it is so hard to pull it off, you know?
Investment and love.
Investment is the time you spend reaching out to others seeking to be loved and not judged.
Love is what you share with others to let them know you care.
Good wrap up Larry. Thanks.