In this season of life, I am in desperate need of balance.  I feel like I am juggling with more than I should be.  Perhaps it is due to the summer season, lack of routine, and two more daily schedules to keep track of now that the boys are out of school.  It’s difficult to keep everything straight!

Recently, a friend contacted me to see if I had signed up my youngest son for a track event.  The event wasn’t even on my radar yet.  I had been so caught up in the current activities that I failed to look ahead.  My friend admitted that she focuses more on the future and can miss out on the moment.  Together, I think we could help each other.

Life is an interesting balance of living in the present while preparing for the future.  Spiritually, we can do both at the same time.  I’ll explain further.  First let’s take a look at 1 Timothy 6:18-19:

¹⁸ Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. ¹⁹ In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

We are preparing for eternity, true life, when we are generous and do good deeds!  The physical world and spiritual world are tied together so closely that they impact each other.  This is by God’s design.  There are world views that consider everything in the physical world to be dirty and worthless.  But that is not God’s view.  He deeply values the physical.  He calls our bodies His temple!  The world is His creation.  God created the physical and the spiritual to mix in a manner we cannot comprehend. 

Take money, for example.  Money is a physical item.  It itself is not evil.  The love of money is the root of evil (1 Timothy 6:10).  Verse 18 points out that money is actually a tool.  We can use it to invest towards eternity.  Money is not dirty, but useful.  How are you using your money?

The Bible talks about tithing.  This is a topic worth looking into, but to simplify, it’s giving 10% or more of your income back to God.  Let’s consider this in terms of investing.  It is important that you invest in your church.  Giving to your church is like investing in a mutual fund.  If you aren’t familiar with your church’s budget, I would encourage you to contact your church office to obtain a copy.  The budget may show that your church funds overseas missions, local missions, short term missions, adult education, youth ministry, children’s ministry, marriage ministry, and/or other ministries.  Giving to your church does more than simply keep the light on.  So many people are impacted by giving to your church!  By investing in your church, you invest in other people and you invest in your own eternity.

There are also many wonderful ministries to invest in.  Make wise choices by checking out the ministry’s financial accountability.  The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (EFCA) can help you in that endeavor.

Giving doesn’t have to be to an institution or ministry.  You can minister to individuals or families that you know are in need.  You won’t get a tax write-off, but it’s definitely worth it.  Person-to-person giving is described in the Bible.  It’s personal and meaningful.  It is a clear demonstration of the body of Christ caring for others. 

We can also invest in others and our eternity with good deeds.  You can impact someone with a “simple gesture” using your skills, talents, and time.  Anyone who doesn’t have your skillset will consider your simple gesture to be a huge blessing.  Keep an eye out for those who may need a hand.

By being generous and doing good deeds today, we prepare for our eternity while impacting others.  Have fun with it! 

Renew your mind each day this week with one of these Scriptures:
1 Timothy 6:6-19
1 Chronicles 29:1-20
1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 4:4-5
Luke 12:13-21
Matthew 6:19-24   *Footnote: To have a “healthy” eye is to be generous, “unhealthy” eye is to be stingy. This concept is actually carried over from the Old Testament.