Investment Choices
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, Deuteronomy 7:9
In our family, my husband is the financial investor. He checks his trades regularly and knows what is going up and what is going down (and whether or not that is the market or our bank account!).
My investing is mostly in the form of mentoring. Unlike financial investments, the investments we make when we agree to mentor are not as transparent. Our investments of time, biblical teaching, prayer, and energy may show very little fruit as we walk with someone through a difficult time.
Lasting gain takes an investment of time.
Psalm 78:4 says, “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and His might, and the wonders that He has done.”
Relating this to mentoring, there is a need for the older Christian to point out the “glorious deeds of the LORD” to the younger Christian. The Truth about the Lord is not easy for someone who is new to the faith or who has been so hurt by humans that she has a difficult time understanding God’s Word.
Emotional pain, immediate circumstances, and measure of faith may all influence how long it takes for a woman (of any age) to give up old ways and seek to follow the way of the Lord. Recognizing she needs help is a huge first step, but never a guarantee that our efforts will be rewarded with immediate change.
“Generational sin” is a term we hear talked about but one that is not actually used in the Bible. However, there is plenty that tells us that “educating” children is the job of parents. The fact is that parents do educate them, whether or not it is intentional. We are their first and foremost influence and they are our most important investment.
A woman in pain or who has little Bible teaching is going to have a hard time passing on much about God’s glorious deeds, His might, or the “wonders He has done” to the next generation.
She may want or need help that she is afraid to ask for, for fear of rejection. Will we notice and offer to teach her?
Persistence and grace, with a serious dose of God’s Word, may be the investment needed to bring about lasting change. Then, as she matures, the generations coming after her will see a (spiritually) healthier mother, sister, daughter, co-worker, and friend, because of God’s Word and your willingness to invest biblical influence in her.
As in financial investing, when we invest in (by mentoring) a young woman with, or without, children, there’s a probable compounding of the return as they pass the teaching on to future generations that will also bring an increase to the work for the Kingdom of God.
We all know someone who needs this kind of mentoring. Who is it for you?
Coming! My new Book, Intentional Influence: A Woman’s Guide to Biblical Mentoring. In it I will teach you the methods and content for mentoring according to the Titus 2:3-5 command for older women to teach the younger women. Look for it soon!