Everyone Needs Someone To Stay For

“ But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.” –  1 Samuel 12:24

Do you ever wake up some days and wonder, “Why am I even doing this?” I do. I’m not talking being a pastor, but the day-to-day stuff that makes up a pastor’s life. For me, it is usually just a fleeting moment and I push past. Other times it lasts more than a few minutes. Did I make the right decision? Am I sending my time wisely? Am I investing in the people that God has placed in my life?  You get the idea.

Without a reason for what you do, it’s hard to stick with something because things are not always going to be easy. You’re going to wake up not feeling like doing the work sometimes. You’re not always going to want to get involved.

Like Coach White, the answer to those questions is the people that are worth investing and even more importantly, staying for. The coach came to that conclusion when he got off the sidelines and immersed himself in the lives of the cross country runners. You don’t learn what is worth staying for by learning a few principles. You get involved and you get involved so often that the principle becomes real. That is why he stayed at McFarland High School rather than take a more lucrative job.

It is easy to live our lives thinking about ourselves. What am I getting out of this?  Where am I going in my life?  Who is going to help me out?  But true significance comes from how I spend my life in helping others.  A lasting legacy is found in the impact made in the lives of those that you have a chance to influence.

The best reason to stay is to invest in others. We should not be afraid to take the time to invest in the life of someone near you. Time is a precious commodity but the time spent in reaching out to others pays massive dividends that you can’t put a price tag on. As we often say at Northstar, every one of us has a story; a life map of where we have been and what we experienced along the way. The lessons we have learned can help impact someone if you are able and willing to accept them as part of God’s plan. We don’t like the tough lessons and trials that enter our life, but if we learn from these experiences and then share them with others, they can be the building blocks of impact and influence. 

Need a reason to stay the course? Go out and make a difference in someone’s life.  It is really rewarding and I promise you – someone, somewhere is going to someday remember you and be thankful for you and the impact you made in their lives.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does having someone to stay for mean to you?
2. Some people think leaving a legacy is for older people that are closer to the end of their life. Do you agree? Why or why not.
3. Who has poured the life of Christ into you? How did that person invest in your Christian life?
4. What is the responsibility of one generation to invest in the next generation?
5. What can we do this week to invest intentionally in the lives of others?