Invest With Passion
July 19, 2005 – 3:51 pm | by Duncan Macleod
Here’s an article I’ve just written for Jubilee Primary School newsletter. It’s a school connected with four Christian churches - Catholic, Anglican, Uniting and Apostolic.
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What’s been the most important investment you’ve ever made? Perhaps it’s investment in a house? Or in an engagement or wedding ring? Maybe it’s an investment in education? I’m not looking for the right answer. What I’m looking for is the point at which we realize that we’ve found something worth investing in. We’re prepared to go without some things because we need all our resources for this purchase.
When my wife and I bought our first home we lived like paupers for a while as we saved for a deposit. Paying rent each week, we couldn’t easily find the money to put a deposit down. Both of us came from large families and there was no inheritance expected. We would have had to wait a much longer time if it hadn’t been for the generosity of friends who helped us out with an interest free loan. But when it came time to pay the legal fees, valuation fees and broker’s fees, we had to find the cash. We found buyers for our television, book and music collections.
That’s the kind of scenario Jesus is talking about in many of his stories. In Matthew 13:44-46, he says, “The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when someone finds a treasure hidden in a field and buries it again. A person like that is happy and goes and sells everything in order to buy that field. The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a shop owner is looking for fine pearls. After finding a very valuable one, the owner goes and sells everything in order to buy that pearl.” (Contemporary English Version)
So how does that apply to being part of a school community? The ‘kingdom of heaven’ Jesus refers to is not the end result of a warring crusade against infidels – as portrayed in the recent movie. It’s about living in community with others around us, reflecting the character of God. It involves adults and children with attitudes and actions that show God’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, generosity, gentleness, and self control.
There is a cost involved in following in the footsteps of Jesus. I’m glad he acknowledges that. Putting into practice God’s intentions for community living may mean giving up some of the lifestyle we find precious. Looking out for others may mean having less time to ourselves. Being part of a diverse group of Jesus followers may mean we have to give up the luxury of being with people just like us. We may even be called to give up ‘being right’ all the time.
I’ve written about the cost. But Jesus reminds us that we’re prepared to pay that cost when we discover a passion for a new way of living. That excitement comes when we learn to see the big picture of our lives together. We invest in the future when we get a taste of the potential that comes from this time together now.
