Recently my wife and I reviewed our retirement savings and our financial plans for the future. We took a look at how much we set back each month and how it’s invested. We talked about our plans for increasing our savings and what our financial goals are for our retirement years. God willing, we still have quite a few years ahead of us before retirement, but we recognize that investing now is essential. We can’t wait until we retire to think about how we are going to live. We have to plan now. As the old saying goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”While we recognize the importance of financial investment, it’s not our most important investment. Not even close.There is another kind of investment on which we are working hard everyday. It’s an investment that will bear a return far beyond our time here on earth. It’s our prayer that the investment continues to produce dividends for generations or until Christ returns.What kind of investment and I talking about? The investment in other people.This is what discipleship is. It is the personal investment in the lives of others to help them grow to maturity in Christ.As we look in the New Testament at the ministry of the Apostle Paul, often we see that he is spending time with others. He is raising up others to follow Christ and serve in the ministry.I noticed in the opening lines of 1 Thessalonians he writes, Paul, Silas, and Timothy. Paul’s mention of his two companions gives us insight into his strategy. He was very conscious of his responsibility to pass on the faith. He chose people to be with him so that faith could be imparted in the context of real life. And the investment in people’s lives was over a long period. When Paul assigned Timothy to serve as a pastor in the city of Ephesus, he wrote to him and said in 2 Timothy 2:2 - “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”Paul’s instruction was this: Just as I have invested in your life, you find others to invest in. Paul did not select Timothy because he could carry his luggage. He saw in Timothy a sincere desire to know and serve Christ.  I have a conviction that God has called each of us to invest in the lives of others. I believe this is a calling for every Christian. If you are a parent, your most important discipleship is at your dining room table. As a believer you can invest in the lives of your co-workers, your neighbors, your friends, new believers at church, and others God brings across your path. You might be thinking, “Yes, but how do I do that?”  Great question.The good news is that you don’t have to be a theologian. You don’t need a seminary degree. It’s not necessary to have a lot of Bible verses memorized or even to feel that you understand it all.Discipleship is a journey. You go on it together. You spend time together over a period of time. You share what you know about Christ. You impart what you have learned and what you are learning. The process of discipling others will cause you to grow even more.I don’t think there is anything more rewarding than helping others know and serve Jesus. Yet, if the statistics are correct, very few Christians are involved in reaching and discipling others. Imagine your life having an impact, not only here and now, but for eternity.Today’s Challenge: I’m praying that every person who listens to this podcast will not only be a disciple of Jesus, but that you would be disciple others. Would you be willing to pray a courageous prayer? Jesus, show me who you want me to invest in? Who do you want me to disciple. Listen for his voice. Look for his direction. He will give you direction.

Ver todos los episodios