Goodwill That Lasts
Luke 8: 1-3
After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene)from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
Have you ever thought about how Jesus paid for all of his mission trips? When we read through the gospels, he constantly has his bags packed. He doesn't camp out in one location and expect people to come to him.
All of that travel is expensive. Sure, Jesus could turn water into wine, multiply loaves and fish to feed thousands and direct Peter to catch fish with money in their mouth. But Jesus never performed a miracle to meet his own needs. He graced others with the opportunity to support him. In the above passage we meet a few of these people.
I've never met Mary Magdalene, Joanna or Susanna but I have heard of their investing in the ministry and message of Jesus. Who might be inspired by your investments 2,000 years later?
Superman was created in 1938. He looks good for an eighty year old. While he saved the day for the first time before many of us were born, it's hard to find someone who hasn't heard of the Man of Steel. He has become timeless. I performed a funeral recently where everyone had a story to share about the deceased gentleman helping them with their lawn, trash, carrying groceries. Your generosity can out live you.
The closest star to us is Proxima Centauri. It takes 4.3 years for its light to reach us. Imagine it's the night that you graduate high school. The light you see from the nearest star left just before your freshmen year. While you were learning to drive, going to your first dance and faking your way through trigonometry, that little light was traveling 93 million miles. To see that star, you are looking four years into the past.
As mind boggling as that is, there are other stars whose light started their journey before you or I were born. That means that when you look up at the midnight sky you are seeing light that has possibly shined for centuries. That star could die and its light would continue to shine throughout the universe for generations.
What a great picture of legacy.
As a kid we used to sing "this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine." The idea was that with Jesus, our good deeds, no matter how small, was a light that shined from within us.
The good deed you do today can beam through eternity.
