Who Are You Investing In?
When I first became a follower of Christ, a dear pastor friend invested in my life. He placed me in positions within the church that helped me grow in my knowledge of the Scriptures and shared valuable good theological books with me. He guided me to reliable resources that explained the core doctrines of the Christian faith, providing me with a solid framework of understanding to build upon. To say that I was greatly blessed by God’s
divine sovereignty in placing me with this brother would be an understatement. In reality, he discipled me even when I wasn’t fully aware that he was investing in my spiritual growth; my brother was imparting wisdom to me all along.
Many in the faith are familiar with Apostle Paul’s investment in his beloved Timothy. For the purpose of this encouragement and challenge, we will focus on this example of discipleship. According to the Reformed Commentary, Paul invested in Timothy by mentoring him as a spiritual son. He taught him the Gospel, involved him in ministry work, and encouraged him to lead the church in Ephesus faithfully. Throughout this process, Paul emphasized the importance of sound doctrine and personal character, effectively passing on the mantle of leadership through a close and intentional relationship.
In Acts 16:1-3, we see how Paul mentored Timothy in Lystra during Paul’s second missionary journey. Paul recognized Timothy’s strong character and, guided by the Holy Spirit, decided to take him along on his journey. Through this mentorship, Paul demonstrated to Timothy how to effectively advance the gospel by living out his own mission-minded life. This partnership in spreading the gospel and their successful ministry lasted for about 20 years. Paul was equipping Timothy, and we should follow this example by investing in the life of at least one person ourselves. The challenge for each of us, especially in light of Paul and
Timothy’s example, is to consider: who are we investing in to advance the gospel?
As many of you know, I am a fisherman. At one point in my life, this hobby became an idol for me. However, by the grace of God, I now use my knowledge of fishing as an opportunity to spend time with other men, to talk about Christ and His word. What was once an idol that could not save has now transformed into a God-honoring pursuit, allowing me to disciple others outside the walls of the church. We all have unique abilities and gifts, but the crucial question for each of us is whether we are using the time and talents that God has given us for His glory through intentional, one-on-one discipleship with others.
The late R.C. Sproul said “The simplest definition of disciple is one who directs his mind toward specific knowledge and conduct. So, we might say that a disciple is a learner or pupil.” As followers of Christ, we should consistently seek to learn. However, there comes a pivotal moment when we should shift our focus from simply expanding our own knowledge to actively investing in others so they can be presented as mature in Christ (Colossians 1:28). This kind of discipleship is challenging; it is costly, messy, and requires us to deny ourselves.
Here is the challenge: consider the relationship between Paul and Timothy as described in the book of Acts and the Epistles and then reflect on what it means for someone to invest in another person to advance the gospel over a long time frame.
