Investing in Eternity
“Well, you will never get millions that way” she scoffed in an arrogant annoyed voice. We were connected to this woman through friends. They thought she might be the bridge between our small 501c3 non-profit and a grant that we could use to start all of those huge dreams that seem so unobtainable.
Just five minutes into the call I was ready to hang up. I quickly realized that though we could use the funds, what she was suggesting was not the way. Basically she wanted us to expand our mission to include mission activities in the US because “most big donors don’t want to give to JUST help Haiti” and to add a non-discriminatory clause so that we can get more money from those who’s focus is on pushing sexual orientation propaganda and the like.
Needless to say that call was a waste of 15 minutes of my life.
The Weight of Wanting
When I went to church a few Sundays ago I was discouraged. My husband had just gotten back from Haiti and I kept looking at our bank account willing the numbers to change. I was stressed and tired. Feeling like the personal sacrifices we have been making since before 2020 in Haiti are too great.
Earlier in the week I was out at our property just looking at the empty land and wondering if we will ever get to build a house on it. I am ashamed to say the thought crossed my mind “if we could use our income for only our needs just for a year or two, then maybe we could stand on our own two feet finally”.
Living between Haiti and the US, never having enough in one place to settle, is draining. Not like a 12 hour work day that your bed brings relief from. But deeper down in the depths of your soul with no reprieve. It feels like a weight that is bearing down on me constantly. Going through life living in a house but never having a home.
Our Biggest Investment
I remember the sermon clearly. It was on giving, from second Corinthians. Our pastor said something along the lines of “our biggest investment in life is what we do for Eternity”.
It hit me like a ton a bricks. Smack dab in the middle of my selfish thoughts. Nothing in this life matters except what will last. Will a house last? No. Will all the stuff we fill our space with make the trip to the other side? No. Will money follow me to the grave? No.
So what matters? What is the greatest investment? It’s people.
It’s knowing Him and making Him known in every corner of the world. It’s giving everything I’ve got to make a better world, not for me, but for my daughter’s generation that is coming after me. It’s giving a cup of cold water and a piece of bread to those who are hungry, who are yearning to know that someone sees, someone cares, someone loves them.
He Provides For His Sheep
"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing”… Psalm 23:1
Even when we walk through seasons of wanting, He is there. He doesn’t promise material wealth. But over and over again we have seen Him bring along people who meet a specific need in our ministry. We are not hungry, naked, homeless, or in prison. And He has met our needs so that we can meet the needs of others.
When we focus on Eternity today falls into place. And then one day, in all the serving and the pouring out. We will turn around to see that we have always had everything that we needed.