Key SCRIPTURE:  1 Thessalonians 2:7-12

A Pattern for Investing in Others: 

1. Invest with EMPATHY.

- “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

- People are not a PRODUCT to be bought or sold, but a PERSON, that God loves and created.

“…Yes, whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him.” 1 Corinthians 9:22 (TLB)

2. Invest with an ETERNAL mindset.

- “You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.” - C.S. Lewis

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5-6 (NIV)

3. Invest by EXAMPLE.

- You may be the only Jesus someone ever meets.

“We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy.”

1 Thessalonians 2:12

4. Invest through ENCOURAGEMENT.

- If you build people up they will never let you down.

“As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children…”

1 Thessalonians 2:10

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” 

1 Peter 3:15-16