Who Have You Poured Into Lately?
Sometimes the greatest thing you can give someone isn’t money, a gift, or even advice. It’s your time.
I currently serve as a boat captain for the Mansfield ISD Bass Team. And one question I get asked occasionally is, “Don’t your kids go to school there?”
No, they don’t. My children are grown.
So why would I dedicate my time to taking two young men fishing, spending long days on the water, and committing weekends to tournaments when they’re not even my children?
The answer is simple. Because God has given me an opportunity to pour into someone else’s life.
These two young men are the sons of two brothers and good friends of mine. When they were freshmen, they knew I had a boat and asked if I would be their boat captain. Without hesitation, I said yes.
I love fishing, and I have a heart for youth ministry. What better opportunity to combine the two?
But here’s the thing. It’s never really been just about fishing.
It’s about spending time with these young men, teaching them something I enjoy, building relationships, and having opportunities to share my knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.
And please don’t misunderstand me. Their parents are doing a wonderful job raising them. But sometimes God uses another voice to reinforce what a parent has been teaching all along.
I remember when my own children played soccer. I could tell them something a hundred times, and it would go in one ear and out the other. But let their coach tell them the exact same thing, and suddenly it made perfect sense!
Sometimes a trusted adult outside the home can reach a young person in a way that even a loving parent struggles to.
That’s not replacing a parent. That’s coming alongside them.
I realize some people don’t understand why I would give up my time for children who aren’t mine. And that’s okay. But I also wonder how many people who question it would have loved to have someone pour into their lives when they were younger.
Someone who showed up.
Someone who listened.
Someone who cared enough to give them their time without expecting anything in return.
And this isn’t just about young people.
It’s about the elderly who may be lonely. The widow who needs someone to check on her. The orphan who needs someone to love them. The brother who’s struggling but doesn’t know how to ask for help.
James 1:27 (CSB) reminds us that pure and undefiled religion before God includes looking after orphans and widows in their distress.
And Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23 that if anyone wants to follow Him, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Him.
I believe this is one of the many ways we live that out.
Denying yourself isn’t always about giving up something sinful. Sometimes it’s about setting aside something you want to do so you can do something for someone else.
It’s choosing to serve when you could be relaxing.
It’s choosing to listen when you could be talking.
It’s choosing to show up when nobody would blame you for staying home.
Jesus said in John 14:12 that whoever believes in Him will do the works He does and even greater works because He is going to the Father.
If Christ lives in us and we abide in Him, shouldn’t our lives reflect His heart for others?
I’m not sharing this to receive recognition for being a boat captain. I’m sharing it because there are people all around us waiting for someone to invest in them.
You don’t need a boat. You don’t need a title. You don’t need a ministry position.
You just need a willing heart and a willingness to give something that you can never get back: your time.
And sometimes, what you think is a small sacrifice may become a lifelong blessing in someone else’s life.
So here’s my question for you today:
Who have you poured into lately?
And perhaps the more important question is, who has God placed in your life that you’ve been too busy to notice?
Have a blessed day!
Rev. Carlos Figueroa
TheFreeBible.org |
