Bible Reading:
Romans 16
Key Verse: Verse 1 – “I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church
which is at Cenchrea:”
Key
Words: I
commend unto youAs
you read Romans 16, you read a seemingly long list of names that mean
absolutely nothing to the casual reader; but you have to go beyond the surface
and look deeply into the lives of these thirty-six people and see how Paul had
invested his life in them, mentored them, prayed for them, watched after them –
and now here they are, all serving God because Paul had invested his life in
others. There is no greater joy than investing your life into others for the
glory of God.
In
his autobiography, Breaking Barriers,
syndicated columnist Carl Rowan tells about a teacher who greatly influenced
his life. Rowan relates: “Miss Thompson reached into her desk drawer and pulled
out a piece of paper containing a quote attributed to Chicago architect Daniel Burnham. I listened
intently as she read: ‘Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s
blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans, aim high in
hope and work. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that
would stagger us.’ More than thirty years later, I gave a speech in which I
said that Frances Thompson had given me a desperately needed belief in myself.
A newspaper printed the story, and someone mailed the clipping to my beloved
teacher. She wrote me: ‘For years, I endured my brother’s arguments that I had
wasted my life; that I should have married and had a family. When I read that
you gave me credit for helping to launch a marvelous career, I put the clipping
in front of my brother. After he’d read it, I said, ‘You see, I didn’t really
waste my life, did I?’”
You never know who you are having an impact on;
so never quit; never give up; always invest your life in others for God’s
service.
What to do: ✞
List those who invested their lives in you and send them a card of appreciation. ✞ Make
a list of those you want to invest your life in and list how that can be done.
