The Story About Investment - Chris Yarco

“It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master’s investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master’s money.

 “After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on, be my partner.’

 “The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master’s investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on, be my partner.’

 “The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’

 “The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.

“‘Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.

Another name for this scripture from Matthew 25 is “The Parable of the Talents” but I like The Message Bible’s title: The Story about Investment.  I love that through parables (a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels), we receive a clearer picture of God’s heart and hopes for us as His followers.  

The Hope City family invests.

Consider Hope City members Steve and Celestia Tracy, founders of Mending the Soul.  Their work nationally, and now internationally in Africa, is literally changing the landscape of communities and nations that have borne unbelievable trauma.   On Sunday, July 28th, Dale Gibson and Steve Tracy, who have just returned from what is widely known as the Triangle of Death in the Democratic Republic of Congo. will be sharing mind-blowing stories of divine healing and redemption. You will be encouraged and inspired by the supernatural ways in which God is at work in the DRC. 

Or servant leader Austie Eckley, who invests her life and talents to see the City of Portland truly transformed.  Once again, her team will host cALLed conference 2024. This one day fall conference invites us to confront how we are to serve those who don't identify themselves as Christians and to explore what Jesus has to say about our universal call to love Him and others through co-laboring as the body of Christ. 

Or  Kristina and Jeremy Thom, who are investing weeks out of their summer to lead daily worship at the Cannon Beach Conference Center for Family Camp participants from across the Pacific Northwest.   And, I love knowing that Jake Vaden and Madi Prentice partner annually with Gracepoint to serve the children of Milwuakie and surrounding areas by doing more together than we could each do on our own.  

I can only imagine Jesus saying to each of these folks ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on, be my partner.’ And they inspire me to seek to do the same.  May we all respond to the challenge to risk and invest our lives for the pleasure of our King.

 

Chris Yarco
Lead Executive