Invest in Life
Open Your Bible
Ecclesiastes 11:1-10, Psalm 94:17-19, Colossians 3:21-25
BY Bailey Gillespie
One day after work, I stopped by a retail store on the way home. Everyone and their mother was in line waiting for this one poor girl to ring them up at the register. I couldn’t help but notice she looked upset—haggard, irritated, all the unhappy adjectives. My first reaction was to wish she had a better spirit of customer service, but then something softened, and I was convicted to strike up a conversation once it was my turn. The short story was this: No, she wasn’t having a good day, because her best friend had just died, and she was the one who had discovered the body. To intensify her grief, she couldn’t find someone to cover her shift that coming Saturday and had to miss the funeral.
As you can imagine, few words felt appropriate in this situation. Doing nothing felt cold, but offering words of false comfort felt colder. How would Jesus respond?
Long story short, the Spirit prompted me to do something tangible for this girl—not to persuade her that everything would be okay or that knowing God would suddenly lessen the pain, but because the moments when I’ve felt most loved were moments when another human being did something unexpected to show God’s kindness to me. So, I returned to the store with a chocolate cupcake and a card that said this: “I’m so sorry you lost your best friend. Nobody should ever have to go through that. God sees you and grieves with you.”
The world encourages us to spend our days like money, trading them in for pleasure and recreation. But, friends, God urges us to invest our lives in the kingdom. He promises that we will reap a harvest one day (Galatians 6:9). We can’t guarantee that one conversation or random act of kindness will be the one to change someone’s life, but we can trust that God does not waste one moment of our lives. Ecclesiastes 11:6 says it this way: “In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hand rest.”
Even while operating out of a focus on life under the sun, the writer of Ecclesiastes lifts his head for a moment to comment on what life looks like in the kingdom. He acknowledges there is a God, one who has the power to make what we sow flourish, as well as bring judgment on our actions.
We never know God’s timing or how He might multiply the work of our hands. So, we sink our teeth into each day. Investing, planting, watering, we pray for the flourishing of God’s movement in the world. But even when we don’t see the fruit, God is still trustworthy with the results.
“Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord
and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward
of an inheritance from the Lord” (Colossians 3:23–24).
Instead of spending all our days like money, let’s look for ways to invest in life. Giving someone a cupcake to remind them that their grief isn’t insignificant feels so small—almost silly. But as I watched the girl behind the register run around the counter with a big smile and arms spread open, it felt like Jesus was up to something.
44 thoughts on "Invest in Life"
-
Today’s reflection not only showed kindness at work but the reward of asking God first and then being obedient to do it.
-
God works when we don’t even know it! ❤️
-
Beautiful words Bailey! The title .. Invest in life.. that would have been enough. Thank you!
Wonderful sharing Sisters..
Praying for all who need prayer, praying blessing, hope, grace peace healing, love over you all.God be with you.❤
-
My husband surprised me today with the information that God has called him to lead a group of people to set up a prayer station at our local BLM protest on Sunday. He just wants to show people that Christians care about injustice and want to love and listen. I’m so proud of him for listening to the Holy Spirit, and for his boldness in the face of a fairly apathetic church congregation. Please pray for his safety and that God is glorified Sunday and that hearts are softened.
-
Praying for you Diana. I understand and can relate with your desires to push through with your work and its conflicts with your limitations. Thank God that He sees our heart and knows what we strive for, and that we aren’t judged based on our actual output, and that He is our ever present strength in all things. Where we are weak, He is strong.
Pam, praying for you and your father and your family during this time. Thank you for sharing your heartfelt story about his life and service.
Very good point Sarah, about patience and planting seeds, waiting for the harvest. I continue to pray the Holy Spirit will work in and through you to connect with your sister and brother-in-law. I relate with your struggles in a sense, because I am praying continually for my husband to be saved.
I hope all you SRT ladies had a blessed day. :)
-
❤️❤️❤️
-
I love today’s reflection, it’s so important-you never know what small thing will prove giant! Ecc 11:6
-
What a great message this morning! And how encouraging to read your responses my sisters. Angie, I prayed over your list and thank you for your prayers for me over the trip I get with my daughter and grands. As I read through I pray for and thank the Lord for each of you out there serving and giving glory to our God. That the Father blesses our work I have no doubt. Angie, I also love the Hug Patrol idea, a great way to live intentionally. In my employment in an ER years ago, I did admissions and God opened up the opportunity and my mouth when I felt the heavy sorrow or fear, to ask if I could pray with patients and it blessed me so. And I have continued that in what I do now and you know not once, not one time has anyone ever said no. But there have been many tears, and heart felt thanks. It is not because of my sometimes very simple prayers it is that reminder in the prayer, in the asking that we are not alone that God sees us and loves us and that He brought someone to notice the pain and see them. Knowing that so many are hurting in this time may God bring His peace and joy in the midst of fear and pain. He does, oh yes He does. You are loved dear ones by the King who sees your heart in your work. How great is that!
Post Comments (44)