Investing

Investing in what, you may ask?

Investing in people. I want to invest in people's hearts, finding out what is there, and helping them to grow as people.

Years ago, I read "Run with Horses", by Eugene Patterson, which is about Jeremiah (the prophet). He said that to be a prophet is to call people to be fully human, and to be fully human, all that God created man to be, is to be in communion with him. When I read that, I realized that was my heart, to be a prophet who called people back to God. I want to see people know the God who created them, and to know him fully. I want to invest time, energy, love and truth in people who can then grow to become men and women of God, seeking God, and desiring to know him.

I want to be someone who speaks truth to others. But there have been times when the truth was thrown at me in such a way that I collapsed under the weight of it, and it crushed me. I don't want to see that happen to anyone else. And so truth must be balanced with love and acceptance. Its easy to know this and its hard to live it. How is this done? How to I make sure someone knows they are unconditionally love and accepted? How do I know that they know it? To see someone grow, and become more mature takes a great deal of truth that is tempered with love and acceptance.

I'm learning what this looks like, and I think God has brought me through enough situations of negative examples that I know what not to do. Now to seek God's wisdom on what to do...