On Saturday afternoon, the Cool Spring Outdoor Sportsmen hosted their Wild Game Banquet. I had the opportunity to serve alongside them in preparing for the meal, as well as providing the message which revolved around a turkey that I harvested last spring. Of the five wild game dinners and banquets that we have done together, our guys agreed that this weekend's was the smoothest running and least stressful of any conducted thus far. But what stood out most on Saturday was the amount of interaction and depth of conversations amongst our guys and those that attended. In fact, they began long before the event officially began, continued throughout the event, lingered on well after it ended and will likely continue for days and weeks to come. And as a result, I believe that we learned a little bit more about why we do what it is that we do.
Matthew 6:19-20 (NASB)
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
See, through our years of serving together, we have learned that it is not supremely critical to run a 'perfect' event, serve the finest prepared game, have the most polished or riveting speaker, or display the largest or most exotic wildlife mounts. While all those things are important and we do our best to address each of these, those are the components of our events that will ultimately be forgotten by our attendees. We are learning, however, that our focus, our time, our treasure needs to be in investing ourselves into and getting to truly know those folks that attend our events, trips and activities. Now I am not meaning in an over-the-top spiritual way, but rather just being ourselves, being the passionate outdoor sportsmen that we are, in order for those into which we are investing to understand that we are really just like them. It allows folks to let down their guards and to tear down walls which have been built over time in resistance to 'religiosity'. Now this often takes a while, and that is what we are learning about the cost and reality of investing. But every time we wonder if all our efforts are really worth it, we are reassured that the investments we make in 'pouring' ourselves into others always pay huge dividends in due time, and are never impacted by a fickle worldly economy. Because at just the right God-designated time, these folks are ready to hear and respond to the live-saving and life-changing message of Jesus Christ. God reminded us of that again this weekend through the conversations, the confessions, the desires and the commitments expressed by those that we have invested ourselves into event after event, trip after trip, activity after activity. Praise be to God for His perfect timing, His unfailing love, and the promises in His Word.
Guys, I ask you - who are you investing yourself into right now? Be attentive to those around you who share your similar interests and are in need of a consistent positive example. Having common interests opens doors for connecting with them. Ultimately, committing to investing yourself into that person's life may ultimately earn you the opportunity to share the gospel, and that's treasure that no moth or rust can ever destroy. - GE
Related tip
Being in good financial standing will afford you opportunities to invest monetarily in the lives of others. Oftentimes meeting a financial or physical need is the first step in ultimately being able to address a spiritual need. If you are in need of financial advice or assistance, consult with a quality financial advisor who works from Christian investment principles.
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