"To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey" (Matthew 25:15, NIV 1984).

Yesterday I attended a retreat for Christian medical students at a beautiful spot on a small lake in Arkansas. Tim is a third year medical student who led a session on discipleship for his fellow students there. I was struck by his speaking ability, his maturity in Christ and by one particular statement he made. As he was talking about the price paid by God for our salvation, Tim asked, "In your life, in accounting terms, was that cost an expenditure or an investment?"

God indeed paid a great price to bring me home.

The question that needs to burn into my soul is whether that price, that rejection, that cross, was, in my life, an expenditure or an investment.

An expenditure means the price was paid for the product gained, period. And I have no doubt that God would have died for me alone, but He did not.

An investment plans that the price paid acquires a product which multiples after it is purchased.

Which am I? Did Jesus die for me so that I might walk home to the Father alone? Or did Jesus die for me and, because of that investment, many other children of God will be holding my hand as I bring them along to the throne?

Expenditure or investment?

Dear Father,
Thank you for bringing me home. I am not worthy. You paid too much. Let me prove to be your great investment.
Amen