Part 3: Unleashing Your S.H.A.P.E. for Life · Lesson 11
Discovery is not the finish line. Once you have begun to understand your S.H.A.P.E. and grasp your Kingdom Purpose, the natural and necessary next step is to invest that understanding in others. What God has given to you was never meant to stop with you. It was meant to flow through you into the lives of people within your reach.
Jesus made it clear: privilege carries responsibility. The knowledge, the experiences, the growth, the wisdom you have gained -- all of it comes with an expectation that you will pass it on. The question is not whether you have something to give. The question is whether you will be intentional about giving it.
In the financial world, wise investors understand a simple principle: you must invest if you want to see returns. Money left under a mattress does not grow. It stagnates. The same principle applies to spiritual investment. The wisdom, love, and experience God has deposited in your life are meant to be invested -- not hoarded.
Consider what happens when a seasoned believer takes a younger Christian under their wing. The younger believer grows faster, avoids pitfalls, and gains confidence. The seasoned believer is sharpened, reminded of foundational truths, and energized by fresh enthusiasm. Both parties benefit. The kingdom expands. That is the return on spiritual investment.
Every person has a Circle of Influence -- the network of relationships that surrounds your life. At the center of that circle is your name, because every influence begins with who you are. Surrounding your name are the people you interact with regularly: family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, fellow church members, classmates, and more.
Take a moment to think about how many people are in your circle. Most of us can easily name ten or more people who are within our regular sphere of contact. These are your investment opportunities. God has sovereignly placed each of them in your life for a reason.
Not all investments look the same. The depth and intensity of your investment will vary depending on the relationship and the season. Understanding three distinct levels of influence helps you be intentional about where and how you invest.
| Level | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Influence | Deepest investment of time, energy, and intentionality. These relationships receive your best effort and most consistent attention. | Family members, spouse, children, closest friends |
| Moderate Influence | Meaningful investment earned through position or ongoing relationship. You have regular contact and the opportunity to speak into their lives. | Coworkers, neighbors, small group members, teammates |
| Minimum Influence | Frequent contact but limited depth. These are people you see regularly but may not know well. Still, your example matters. | Baristas, fellow commuters, casual acquaintances, service workers |
The mistake many people make is pouring maximum investment into moderate relationships while neglecting the people closest to them. A leader who mentors dozens of people at church but has no energy left for his own children has misaligned his investments. God calls us to be wise stewards of our influence across all three levels.
Investments also vary in duration. Some are short-term -- seasonal interactions that last for a period and then conclude. Others are long-term -- commitments that span years or even a lifetime.
Short-term investments might include helping a coworker through a difficult project, mentoring a new believer through a twelve-week study, or coaching your child's sports team for a season. These investments are focused, time-bound, and often yield visible results quickly.
Long-term investments include raising your children, building a marriage over decades, shepherding a small group, or walking alongside a friend through multiple seasons of life. These investments require patience and perseverance. The returns may not be visible for years, but their impact is profound and lasting.
Both kinds of investments matter. The wise investor makes room for both. The key is intentionality -- knowing which investments you are making and why.
As you step into the role of an investor in people's lives, these ten practical principles will guide your approach. Each one is drawn from Scripture and tested in the context of real relationships.
In the investment world, there is a saying: "If you spot it, you got it." The same applies to spiritual investment. If you see a need, a gift, or an opportunity in someone's life, God may be calling you to be the one who addresses it. Do not assume someone else will step up. Accept the responsibility that comes with awareness.
Before you invest in someone, pray for them -- and then pursue. As we learned in Lesson 9, the pattern of Jesus was to pray all night and then call his disciples. Approach the person directly and humbly. Say something like, "I have been praying for you, and I believe God has given me something that could encourage you. Would you be open to meeting together regularly?"
When someone takes a step of faith, celebrate it. When they make a difficult choice that honors God, applaud it. Affirmation is fuel for the journey. The apostle Paul modeled this constantly in his letters, opening with gratitude and encouragement before addressing challenges.
Investment is not a curriculum you deliver from a distance. It is your actual life, with all its victories and failures, shared honestly. People learn more from your example than from your explanations. Let them see how you handle disappointment, how you make decisions, how you pray, and how you repent. Authenticity is the currency of trust.
No one's path looks exactly like yours. Resist the urge to make people in your care into clones of yourself. Appreciate the unique journey God has them on, even when it does not make sense to you. Their story is still being written, and God is the author.
One of the most powerful investment stories in Scripture involves Barnabas and Paul. When the early church in Jerusalem was deeply suspicious of Paul -- the former persecutor of Christians -- Barnabas stepped forward. He admired what God was doing in Paul's life and was willing to stake his own reputation on it.
Because Barnabas was willing to see and admire Paul's uniqueness, the church accepted Paul -- and the course of Christian history was forever changed. Look for the unique gifts and calling in the people you invest in, especially when others cannot see what you see.
Do not limit your investment to spiritual topics. Help people see how God's truth applies to their finances, their parenting, their workplace relationships, their health, their time management, and their emotional well-being. All of life belongs to God, and your investment should reflect that wholeness.
People grow best when they are stretched but not shattered. Assign goals that are challenging enough to inspire growth but realistic enough to foster confidence. Celebrate progress, not just completion. If someone is learning to pray, do not assign an hour of prayer on day one. Start with five minutes and build from there.
Investment is not limited to spiritual conversations. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is help someone move into a new apartment, babysit their children so they can have a date night, or connect them with a resource they need. Practical service opens doors for spiritual influence.
Take time to step back and assess how the people you are investing in are growing. Celebrate the milestones you observe. Identify areas where they may be stuck. Ask them how they feel they are progressing. Honest evaluation -- done in love -- helps people stay on course and make adjustments when needed.
Bill Hybels, founder of Willow Creek Community Church, tells a story about his friend Bob Greene, the renowned fitness trainer. Bob once said to him, "Bill, you are not getting any younger. If you want to be healthy, you have to start now. Not next month. Not next year. Now."
The same urgency applies to spiritual investment. There are people in your life today who need what God has placed in you. They will not wait forever. Seasons change, circumstances shift, and opportunities pass. Do not delay. Begin investing today -- even if it starts with a single conversation, a single prayer, a single act of service.
Spiritual investment operates on the same principle as sowing and reaping: what you plant today, you will harvest later. The investment you make in someone's life this year may not show visible fruit for five years, or ten, or even twenty. But when the harvest comes, you will be grateful you planted the seed.
Use the exercises below to identify where God is calling you to invest.
Who in your life has invested in you? How did that investment shape who you are today? Is there someone you have been meaning to reach out to but have been putting off? What is holding you back? Share your Investment Circle with your Training Partner or Training Group and ask them to help you discern where to focus your energy.