I pray that you and yours are well and that God's grace and presence are touching your life in abundant ways. We don't always notice, I know, but God is always investing His presence and gifts in our lives. One day, we'll know much more fully - maybe today.
A large group of St. David's parishioners are heading to Guatemala in June to work alongside our partners in ministry there. These are the partners who represent a growing group of friends and who we have helped build two churches and a water project that allows an entire community to have clean water and do their laundry together. It's a very fulfilling relationship and we are blessed to be together.
The group that is going in June came up with a quasi-brilliant idea to "sell stock" in the trip at $50 per share. The stock in the trip is a way to raise scholarship money and to share the trip with those of us who aren't going on this mission. I love the idea and will be investing myself and hope you will, too, because making investments is part of being followers of Christ.
Making an investment is a concept that we Americans understand at so many levels. We invest monies, expecting some kind of return. We invest our time in others with some sense that our time will yield some kind benefit. The benefit may be an enriched relationship or a deeper friendship or a sense of belonging. We invest in causes and political campaigns and activities to help bring about a better world. We invest in church and in our spiritual lives with God with the hope and even confidence that the Spirit will draw us closer to God's presence and we will become the persons God created us to be. We invest in ourselves when we eat well, exercise, rest, read, play and pray, so that we can be happier and more creative and live a more balanced life.
When we don't invest who we are and what we have, then there is no return and our lives and the world around us are poorer for our short-sightedness.
In "God's economy," investment brings a return in three ways. First, it reminds us of the investment of life that God gives everyone and everything as part of His creation. Second, it helps us gain some sense of sharing with God in the creation and building the kind of world He dreams of for all of His creation. Third, investing ourselves at any level brings a return that gladdens the heart and makes our lives all the richer.
Look around your own life this week and see how God has invested in you. Think about those who have invested in you over the course of your life. Make plans to invest yourself more freely in the lives of those around you and in St. David's Church and mission. You have more than enough to give and the return will be more than worth it.
