Heavenly Investment Portfolio

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”

“When it comes time to die, make sure that all you have to do is die.”

~ Jim Elliot

Lately, the story of Jim Elliot has been on my mind. Jim Elliot, for those who do not know, was killed on the mission field in Ecuador while ministering to the Waorani (Auca) people in the 1950s. Him and his group (Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian) were speared by a group of the tribe’s warriors. To most people, this is a tragic story of waste, of young men who died prematurely chasing dreams, and of husbands who left widows and children behind to tend for themselves, but to a Christian, it is a triumphant story of martyrdom, and of bravery in the face of persecution.

Jim Elliot and his team knew ahead of time that they would be attacked, and still stayed to minister, and even after the attack, his now-widowed wife continued to minister to the tribe. In fact, many tribe members converted to Christianity and claimed to have been opened to the gospel because of Elliot’s sacrifice!

Oftentimes, when we think of sacrifice, we associate it with pain, suffering, and inconvenience. Those things are true, but Jesus said “Lay up your treasures in heaven, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Sacrifice is hard, but it is also necessary for investment. Where are you investing? Jim Elliot sacrificed his life to gain spiritual treasure and help people find Christ, what about you?