Question 3: What do you invest?

We each have ability, time, and money. We can argue that others have more in some departments than we do, but the fact is we all have all three. It is what we each choose to do with each of these three things that determines how much of the reality of God is present in our daily lives.

If you and I are not investing our ability, time, and money into people and purposes that God places in our heart, then something is wrong. If we are not doing that then why are we living?

In Mark Chapter 2 we find a fascinating story.

Jesus was inside a house teaching people and praying for those that were ill or disabled. The place was packed so much that there was not even room for one more person even at the door. Four men arrived carrying their friend on a mat because he was paralyzed. The bible says that they could not get to Jesus through the crowd so they climbed on the roof, made a hole, and lowered their friend down and placed him at the feet of Jesus.

Now, really picture this whole episode in your mind. These 4 guys fight through a crowd and have to hoist this guy up onto the roof. Maybe they dropped him once in the process (due to existing paralysis no further damage was done.) Then one translation of the Bible 

says that they were up on the roof "DIGGING THROUGH IT." I am sure more than one person was like "hey what do you think you are doing?" Perhaps some men even tried to physically stop them from making progress due to their destructive behavior and serious inconsideration for those that have been there for hours. Yet despite all this, the man was healed that day. Jesus said it was because of "their" faith, that is the faith of the man's friends that brought him to the feet of Jesus. 

So, what would cause those four men to overcome such opposition and rational thought to bring their friend to Jesus? There is only one answer that makes sense to me. The Man on the mat mattered more to those four men then all they would face to get their friend to Jesus.

So, who would carry you?

I think in our lives we all become paralyzed in some form at different times. We need our friends to carry us to Jesus when we cannot get there on our own, and the amount we invest in our friends will determine how much opposition they will overcome for us.

Life has a way of making us too busy to have time to care for those that matter the most. Yet, one of the ways the world will be drawn into relationship with God is by your example. Go find somebody on a stretcher and carry them to Jesus.

I have to go, I just thought of somebody! bye.