what's in YOUR investment portfolio?

I was asked a simple question the other day: What's the fruit of an apple tree? Apples, I said, with great assurance. To my surprise, that was not the answer! The fruit of an apple tree is more apple trees! The apples are only the means to the end.

I remembered the Parable of the Talents, as told in Matthew chapter 25. The man expected multiplication of his money from those he entrusted with it, not just safety. The one who merely protected the money had it taken from him and given to the one who made the greatest profit. This story, along with the apple tree question, opened up to me a whole new way of thinking about life, about ministry, about spiritual growth: I call it God's investment plan.

So what is God's way of investing? What is the fruit of Laurie? God has given me talents - skills and areas I'm gifted in, both spiritually and naturally. At work, I teach others to use their software at a more advanced level, and seek to make more skilled users like myself. I seek to multiply myself and my skills in them. It should be the same in my spiritual life: make others like me - at least, like me in certain ways. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, and he has called all of his disciples to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (the Great Commission, Matthew 28:19).

I am a disciple, and my fruit is therefore more disciples. How do I do this? By investing myself in others. As God puts coins of discipleship into my hands, so I invest them into others and they increase in discipleship too. God receives a return on his investment - and so do I! It seems simple and obvious now I've realized this, but sometimes the most important things are hidden to us until a simple key thought unlocks the full meaning and we see with new understanding.

So I ask, What is in YOUR investment portfolio? How will you also multiply yourself to bring God a return on the investment God has made in your life? A final thought that may help: Ecclesiastes 11:1 is something very familiar to many of us. "Cast your bread upon the waters, for you shall find it after many days [and much more with it]."

the camino - first century style

Imagine yourself in Bethany. It is summer, late 0020's of the First Century of this Common Era, and John is baptizing people and calling them to repentance, preparing the way for the Messiah. Imagine the scene and the conversation. Jesus, who has just been revealed as the Son of God during his baptism by John, begins to seek out those who will be his disciples - and the story goes like this (from the Gospel of John, chapters 1 & 2):

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galillee. He found Phillip.

Jesus: Follow me.

Phillip: Uh - what? Me? Where are we going? 

Jesus: There's a wedding in Cana and I want you to come along.

P: Cana! But that's 2 days' journey! We'll have to walk. And I have only just met you, Rabbi.

J: That's ok - we'll talk along the way. 

Can you imagine the long hours of walking with Jesus and his new band of disciples, talking, reflecting; stopping for a drink or a meal or to rest in the first bit of shade on the route in hours; finding a place to spend the night? Sounds very much like the renowned Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

Now, in the 21st Century, I am on my own Camino with Jesus, my Rabbi, my Teacher, my Lord. He has chosen me as one of his disciples and he is teaching me how to be more like him as we travel together to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9). As I follow him and we journey together, we talk along the way, stop for refreshment and rest in the shade side by side when the sun gets too hot in the early afternoon. I invite you to come along: he wants you too, on this journey of a lifetime. There's always room for another, and the conversation is like no other!