Wednesday, October 12 – Acts 9:27

But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus at Damascus.

 

Have you ever had another person invest in you when others passed you by? Investment in people is a costly and risky business. When we invest in others, we take time and effort to build up another person, often with little to gain for ourselves. That is why many find it easier to just focus on their own growth. For those being poured into, the gift of having someone help them along is priceless.

 

We see this in parenting. Parents take a child who can do nothing for him or herself, caring for the child and nurturing him or her with no expectation of thanks in return. The investment in parenting is not a short-sighted one: it is a long-term investment that is more focused on the child’s development than the return for the parent.

 

Barnabas took a risk when he invested in Saul. Saul, at the time, was known for his hatred of Christians. When everyone else wrote Saul off because of who he had been, Barnabas took the time to listen and see how he had been changed by Jesus. Barnabas not only listened to Saul, but he also shared Saul’s story with the others to show how he had been transformed. There will be times when we meet people new to following Jesus and they are different than we expect. The story of Saul and Barnabas reminds us that investment in others is valuable, even when it’s hard. May God open our eyes to see others the way He does, encouraging them as He writes their story.

 

• Who has invested in you spiritually? How has that added value to your life?
• What is the difference between seeing people how others see them and seeing them how God sees them?
• Pray and ask God to open your eyes to people you may have written off. Ask Him to equip you to serve them and love them as He does, even when its costly.