Three nights ago, my husband and I closed a chapter in our life. Youth ministry has been my niche for as long as we’ve been married (nearly 18 years) and even longer for my husband. As we prepare to lead a church plant, this fall has been a long series of goodbyes—our last youth retreat, Christmas banquet, youth service. This past Monday evening was our final, and most difficult, goodbye.
For several years we’ve also loved on the college-age young men and women who gathered with us to run after the heart of God. Chairs in the big room, sodas in the fridge, and hearts prepared, we opened our home and our lives to them.
Knowing the heartache of relational difficulties, physical separation, and the accusations of those who didn’t understand, the apostle Paul counted it a great privilege to invest in others’ lives. He knew that Christ’s mandate to “go and make disciples” was about people, not programs (Matthew 28:19).
Love is a privilege, one that requires a great investment. Because they lay down their lives regardless of the cost (John 15:13; 1 John 3:16), those who love well in the kingdom willingly risk rejection as they “[plead, encourage, and urge others] to live [their] lives in a way that God would consider worthy” (1 Thessalonians 2:12). Like Paul, though, they discover the secrets of the kingdom: a life surrendered to Jesus is great gain (Mark 8:35), and those who come to Jesus through our ministry are our “pride and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:20).
When we invest in others, the return is invaluable because, truly, nothing this world offers can compare to the joy of seeing others fall deeply in love with Jesus (3 John 1:4).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Matthew 28:16-20
More:
Read Acts 18:24-28 and note the investment Priscilla and Aquila made in Apollos’ life and how this affected his ministry for Jesus.
Next:
Who made a significant spiritual investment in your life? How can you make that kind of an investment in others?
ehdlive on October 3, 2013 at 12:31 am
Maybe Jesus has found so much value in every person. Yes, in every individual person. He invested a lot in them to the point of giving out His own life for them to live. May I emulate Him, for I myself am a beneficiary of His love.
tom felten on October 3, 2013 at 8:40 am
Regina, this past spring my wife and I stepped down as leaders of the high school ministry of our church—something we led for many years as well. I’ll always be thankful for how much we learned from the students. You’re right, it is an incredible gift to see young people enter into a deeper walk with God. And it’s also beautiful to be personally touched and encouraged by their faith too!
alli on October 3, 2013 at 5:21 pm
This is tru given the privelege to pour into others and see them grow makes up from what God may have allowed me to go without in the charge of helping others. Some are not called to sacrifice all and some are
winn collier on October 5, 2013 at 7:43 pm
Love is a costly privilege, isn’t it? I pray joy for your days ahead.