Gold Bar and Investment Jewelry (Photo credit: epSos.de)

Wise Investments

We know from experience that we must be careful in how we invest our money. There are people who are unwise in such things and will gladly spend our money for their foolish endeavors and come back again and again asking for more.

We know when it comes to our time and energy that here we have an even more precious investment. Whereas money can be replaced, a lost hour, a moment of opportunity, those years spent in a trivial pursuit; these things cannot be regained. Time, once squandered, is simply gone.

So then, when it comes to the time we spend with people we must also be wise. Unfortunately, there are some who have no desire to truly grow in Christ. Many who attend church, seek office or position in the church, or call on the phone with a need consume vast amounts of precious time and resources, but in fact have no intention of seeking to grown in Christ.

Herein we must seek discernment that we invest our time wisely with those who are really seeking Him. God knows whose heart is a fertile field, whose is a rocky field, and whose is a hard beaten path. God alone knows whose life is so full of weeds that nothing of His can grow. With so little of ourselves to invest in others let us be wise and discerning in the use of our time. At first glance this seems a harsh position. Shouldn’t we in the ministry be seeking to help everyone all the time?

The life of Christ is a good example of how to spend time wisely. If you look at the New Testament, you will find that the vast majority of Jesus’ time was spent with the twelve disciples. Yes, he also taught the masses and attempted to teach the Pharisees as well, but most of his three year ministry was spent teaching and developing those whom He had called. These men were where He invested His time. He did not waste time on those who did not hear His voice nor answer His call. This self same strategy would serve us well today. Our focus should be on the building and empowering or true disciples instead of watering down a message designed to appeal to the masses. Christ was uncompromising in his message which is exactly what lead to his crucifixion. This is clearly a difficult stance to take today, but it is, I believe, the correct one. We should be seeking to please Him not men. We should spend our time as He did. We should develop disciples as He did. After all, His ways are perfection! Why do we think we know better?