Investments
Much of what we do in ministry has to do with investing. We're all the time investing in people and their lives in the hope that there will be life improvement. Major Norm Garcia, Spring Valley, NY, spoke on Sunday about the wealthy man who went away and left considerable wealth to three people to handle for him while he was away. He reminded us of the wealthy man's expectations and the relatedness to Christ.
How are your investments coming? Has your personal investment in Bible reading and prayer resulted in improved intimacy with God? Have your attempts at investing in others resulted in their growth? How about reaching the world for Christ? Have you been investing in this area with great results?
It occurs to me that we are more demanding of our corporate money managers than we might be of out corps leaders. If we paralleled these two dynamic enterprises, know that we would relieve a money manager of responsibilities if they didn't produce increased returns. Why would no growth or negative growth (great term) be acceptable?
Matthew 25:21 (TEV)
Mt 25:21 'Well done, you good and faithful servant!' said his master. 'You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!'
How are your investments coming? Has your personal investment in Bible reading and prayer resulted in improved intimacy with God? Have your attempts at investing in others resulted in their growth? How about reaching the world for Christ? Have you been investing in this area with great results?
It occurs to me that we are more demanding of our corporate money managers than we might be of out corps leaders. If we paralleled these two dynamic enterprises, know that we would relieve a money manager of responsibilities if they didn't produce increased returns. Why would no growth or negative growth (great term) be acceptable?
Matthew 25:21 (TEV)
Mt 25:21 'Well done, you good and faithful servant!' said his master. 'You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!'
posted by Jim Knaggs | 6:50 PM
8 Comments:
Our work is not as cut and dry. Not always tangable. Sometimes the fruit of our work is not seen for years or until the other side of Glory.
Isaiah's call might help this topic. How did Isaiah know his work was complete and sucessful in the Lord's eyes??
A tree can be bear for many reasons...it could be dead or it could just be winter.
Demanding quantifiable results can be damaging to one who works hard with a pure motivation and right relationship of faith and still sees no dramatic outcome. God calls for faithfulness, not success as the business world rates it. This is, of course, not to excuse laziness or uncaring 9-5 (or less) career vs. calling service.
I believe there is a difference in the evaluation process of the money man and the ministry man. However there are qualities that can be measured. The only danger is the uncovering of a poorly motivated person. I am concerned with “improvable results” paradigm. They are not the main focus. How do you separate ownership of these fruits. How can you discernibly say that you are the cause? How arrogant. We need to take this church thing seriously. We have been asleep at the wheel for far too long.
Hey I was their...and what a coincidence that bible study that night was on the same thing! I agree with Browneyedgirl, sometimes the fruit of our work is not seen for years or until the other side of Glory. How DO you know that your work is complete and successful in God's eyes?hmm
Great responses...I'm glad I wrote what I did.
First: How do you read the parable? It's not about cash is it? Can we dismiss this incredible point that the Master is making? We need to be careful here.
Second: Where did I write that this was about numbers for corps leaders? Much of what I wrote referenced other aspects of growth.
Third: The text reveals that the master went away for a long time. The authentic context here is longer than a season.
Fourth: Is there something wrong with expecting results? What about the fig tree that Jesus encountered with no fruit?
And then: From the "Voisey" posting on this blog, "The measurement of success is faithfulness."
It must be tragic when a seed planter yields no fruit.
i think the Lord demands one thing....faithfulness. i agree with many of the comments below. what happened to someone planting, someone watering and someone harvesting. not always is it the same person. Paul's writings seem to back that up. i have known people who have visited, prayed, preached, programmed and served without huge numbers coming. Were they doing God's work...absolutely.
I think the issue is that of woring with the Spirit. If we work hard at what He guides us to do then we are the people He wants us to be. We should never get "weary in doing good."
Someone once said "We are scared to admit that 90% of what God is doing, He is doing behind our backs." I find it a bit presumptuous of us to try to impose a statistical standard on the work we may not know is going on in the Spirit.
It is tragic to see no results. But is it not greedy on our part to make God fit into our human box? We must always believe the Kingdom is coming even when we don't see it. To not believe that it is coming is to be faithless.
I have no problem with what you've written, Larry...and I don't see it as conflicting with what I've written.
I do believe accountability is in the divine relationship. I also believe God gives us many ways to measure our faithfulness and effectiveness.
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