When you were young, you dreamed of the impact that you would have. The battles you would overcome, the triumphs to be celebrated, the inspiration you would provide. The legacy you would leave.

You were fueled with the deep-down knowledge, that you (specifically you), had a part to play in the greater story. But somewhere along the way, that dream was corrupted. You felt the sting of rejection, the ache of disappointment. You saw little inspiration from those that had gone before.

“Don’t hope too large,” they urge. “Don’t dream too big.” And so, you fall into line, keeping your dreams in check. You dedicate yourself to obedient, dutiful, and diligent service. All things that help build a stable foundation for life. But for what purpose?

Where do we find purpose?

Some years back I was watching Secret Millionaire, a reality TV program where a wealthy individual goes undercover and spends time with different people to understand their journey and heart. At the end of each episode, the wealthy person reveals themselves as they sow into the life of another in a game-changing way.

I switched the TV off and sobbed. It was at a time when life was hard. Relationship betrayal and lack of profitability in business led me to think I was not making an impact. The cry of my heart was that God would use me to honour Him and bless others. The “facts” were that there was a significant gap between my dreams and reality. I felt broken. I was lost and did not know even where to start.

I turned to God’s Word. I learned that my life was ordained before the beginning of time, that He loved me intimately, that He numbered the hairs on my head and engraved the names of His people on the palms of His hands (see Isaiah 49:16; Luke 12:7).

My life (and yours) are not an accident. We are born for a purpose far greater than ourselves. We need more than duty, obedience, and diligence. We need hearts overflowing with love, vision, passion, and possibility of what could be. We find all that in Christ.

We begin to understand why people went to great lengths to see Jesus, why they ripped a hole in the roof to lower their sick friend to be close, to be healed. When Jesus interacted with people, transformation happened. He changes our hearts. He renews our perspectives and purpose for living.

What would our lives look like if each of us knew that we played an essential part within the body of Christ? What if we understood that we were destined for impact? Dangerous for good? What if there’s more to life than making money or finding success in business?

Jesus teaches that what we possess in this world does not define us (see Luke 12:15). We fix our identity in Christ. From there, how we use possessions reveals to God and others what we believe (or don’t believe).

Jesus teaches that what we possess in this world does not define us

We see this illustrated in the parable of the talents (see Matthew 25:14-30). The servants were entrusted with different amounts of resources corresponding to their varying abilities. Knowing the master, “at once” two of the servants put the master’s money to work (Matthew 25:16). This gives us a picture of faithfulness.

The other servant, however, meticulously buried the master’s money in fear to avoid the pain of loss. In so doing, he lost the opportunity for growth and missed experiencing joy. Clearly, his actions demonstrated that he didn’t know the master!

What will you do?

Your journey starts now. Jesus’ call to follow is just as applicable as if it’s the first start or if it’s the umpteenth re-start. To be fruitful in any endeavour, you must start small, start now, and stay in rhythm. And you must know the heart of God, to stay in step with Him.

The master’s response to the two servants was the same, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness” (Matthew 25:21, 23). Each of us will have to give a similar account.

This should encourage those who have been given little and it should sober those who grasp that they have been given much. Unless we risk everything for God’s kingdom we gain nothing. The unfathomable return is available to all.

Peter Low is a business leadership coach who works with Christian men and woman to encourage and equip them for Kingdombuilding marketplace leadership. He is the founder of Cavalry, a managed cloud company, and Founder of 100x which encourages people with maverick thinking to provide a multiple return (not just a percentage return) on their gifts within business.