Let us pray: Psalm 31:1 “In you, O, Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness.” In Jesus' name. Amen!
Many years ago, I worked in the banking industry and one of the terms I had to become familiar with was called Return on Investment (ROI). The meaning of that term is a performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of profitability of an investment. ROI tries to directly measure the amount of return on a particular investment.
If you are asking me how Return on Investment relates to the Kingdom, then I’m glad you asked. In the Kingdom, when we are called by God, when we are sent by God, when we accept an assignment from God, we have to count the cost and accept the fact that we may not see a return on our investment but that doesn't mean it's not happening.
The time you invested into someone else, the money you gave to help someone else, the tears you cried for someone else is an investment into who God may have called you to. The question becomes, Can you still serve and say yes to God even though you may not see a return on your investment? The scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 3:6 “I (Paul) planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”
There is some good news. The scripture also tells us in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” It cost God to send His son to die on the cross for our sins. The Return on Investment (ROI) is that He gained Sons and Daughters like you and me. It cost Jesus laying down His life and going to the grave. The Return on Investment (ROI) is that He got up with all power in His hands.
ROI does not take into account the holding period or passage of time and so it can miss the opportunity costs of investing elsewhere. God does not take into account that you may need to be in a holding period (that's called processing) and He misses the opportunity of investing into someone else. He is God, He controls the ROI. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. So He doesn't miss out on anything. While He is investing in you and taking you through the process, He can be working on someone else who is ready to give a return. He doesn't choose you by mistake. He doesn't call you just to call you. The good news is He already knows the outcome. There is no negative return that marks a loss. Only gain with Him.
So while you may not see the Return on your Investment, God does! You may have prayed for someone and they didn't receive. That is not a loss. God can take the situation and send someone else He has been processing to water the seed you planted. You may have helped someone by giving them your last dollar and they didn't return to show their appreciation. That's not a loss God can take that situation and send someone else to remind them it was God who kept them when they needed Him the most. For every tear you cried, for every rejection you have faced, for laboring in prayer on behalf of another, God says to count the cost and keep on investing. Every now and then He will show us the Return on our Investment.
Be empowered, be inspired, and keep pressing even though you may not see a return on your investment. That doesn't mean that nothing is happening. God always has a ram in the bush. May your day be filled with joy and laughter. In Jesus' Name. Amen!
~Prophetess Tracy McCoy
