You are ready to make an eternal impact
You now know how to walk with God, reach your world, and invest in a few. You’ve had someone pour into your life, and now you’re ready to take what you’ve learned and pour into someone else’s life. I have no doubt that God will fill you with the Holy Spirit and use you in powerful way as you join in His work.
Let me show you something simple but powerful
As we conclude, I want you to imagine that you’re sitting in a group with me. I hold up an apple for everyone to see. It’s red and crisp. I ask, “How many apples am I holding?” The people in the group awkwardly look around at each other. You’re all wondering why I would ask a question with such an obvious answer. Meanwhile, I’m waiting for someone to answer.
One apple, or something much more?
The person next to you confidently blurts out, “One.” “Thank you,” I reply. “But is that the only answer?” I pause and wait for everyone to think. Someone else in the group shouts, “A million!” One by one, people begin to smile and nod as they understand what that person means. Everyone starts to see the apple in a new way.
The seed always holds more potential than the fruit
In one sense, the first person was right. I’m holding only one apple. But that apple has seeds inside of it. If those seeds were planted and cultivated, they could produce hundreds more apples, each with their own seeds. If the seeds from those apples were planted and cultivated, it could produce an entire orchard of apple trees with millions of apples. It’s one apple, but it has the potential to produce millions of apples.
What you do next determines the outcome
The one big question that determines whether it remains a single apple or becomes an orchard of apples is this: Will you consume it or invest it? You can consume the apple and enjoy its flavor for a moment. Or you can cut it open, plant its seeds, and work for the harvest.
Your life carries incredible potential
Your life is like the apple. You have only one life to live, but within your life is the potential to impact and change countless lives. The same big question also determines the impact of your life. You can let your life to be consumed by selfish pursuits that make no difference for eternity. Or you can choose to take the things you’ve learned and intentionally, consistently invest those things in others. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” Galatians 6.9 NIV. If you invest your life, you’ll be amazed at what God can do through you.
This is my prayer for you
This is what I’m praying for you: I’m praying that you will walk with Jesus, deeply and personally, abiding in Him every day. I’m praying that you will reach out to the people in your life and share all that Jesus has done for you. I’m praying that you will invest your life in a few who will take what you’ve given them and pass it on to others. I’m praying that one day we will stand together among the orchard of changed lives and praise God for using us for His glory.
This blog features an excerpt from one of our Student Series books, Invest In A Few.
