invest in people. period.

"Invest in people who invest in you."

A fleeting quote that I scrolled past quickly on a recent, late night pinning streak.

Huh.  How about that...

I'm not sure where it came from or who said it or the context of the particular conversation that drew the individual of this comment to their finite conclusion.

I imagine it must have been from a place of resolution, self-preservation, personal experience.

But I have to respectfully disagree.

It doesn't add up.  And I don't think we're designed to work like that.

What if the history of the world had been defined by individuals and leaders who only paid attention to the people who were capable of returning the favor?  What if we only gave the time of day to the people who could help us out?  What if we only reached out to the people who could give us a tangible something?

No.  That can't be right.

Mother Teresa didn't move to Calcutta because the people there would catapult her to fame and fortune.  Martin Luther King, Jr. didn't write his "I have a dream..." speech and share it with a small group of private donors.  Jesus didn't sit down with the people who had the nicest homes or the best jobs or the finest choice of livestock.

No.

Our culture is motivated by prosperity at all costs.  And I fall prey to the expectations that are set for me by society and accept them for myself.  But I think we've got it all wrong.

What if we just loved?  What if we truly chose to put on love (Colossians 3:14)  and love one another deeply (1 Peter 4:8) and place love above all else (1 Corinthians 13:13)?

Because love is a game changer.  And I don't want to decide that loving the people who love me back is enough.  I want to live a life that is defined by love.  I want to invest in people.  Invest my time and my resources and my life into others.  Because I think that is what Jesus is calling me to do.

Invest in people who invest in you.

Invest in people. Period.

(shout out to Millie for the smudges. wet noses can be tricky.)