David and Kristia Abbott your connection to tribal missions 
Can you think of a better investment than this?
When you invest money you give it to someone else to use. You lose control of it for a period of time. They make use of your money to accomplish their purposes, and for the privilege of doing that, they promise to give you back the money, plus a little more than you gave them in the first place.
As it turns out, this is exactly what Jesus is teaching us throughout the gospels. When he talks about the difference between saving our life and losing it, in Matthew 10:39, he is discussing ROI. Then in Mark 8:34-35 he explains that denying ourselves and losing our life for Jesus is actually saving our life. The “losing our life” is giving ourselves to be used for Jesus instead of using our resources just for ourselves.
Mt. 25:31-40 clearly speaks of future return on our investment. The interest comes to those who gave of themselves and their resources to do good for others…the hungry, thirsty, homeless, those needing clothing, the sick and imprisoned.
Those who do these things, in the name of Jesus, because of him, to honor, serve and obey him, are those who are giving up their life…giving up satisfying only their own needs…to do good for someone else. That is giving over to Jesus our resources, just like we do in a financial investment. He takes control of us and uses us to take care of others…in a wide variety of ways. We are his capital. He uses us and we are not controlling our life or the use of our resources. We are allowing him to do that.
Then, when we stand before him, he will give the return on our investment. The strategy for investment is to do these things for other people. Find ways to make a difference. Touch lives for the good…your family, through ministries in your church, in your city, or wherever in the whole wide world God has prepared work for you to do.
“Giving your life” is letting him have control and not constantly taking it back, just like in a financial investment. Constantly taking it back is more like a savings account. It may build a little interest but it is always there to be spent on our desires.
The significant question we must be asking ourselves is am I interested in the ROI offered by Jesus, or the ROI I get in the market of this world…spending my resources on myself?
Author: Don Parrott, President, Finishers Project
(used by permission)
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