Mission Statement

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

– Luke 4:18-19

Many companies and organizations have a mission statement, which is a written declaration that sets out their purpose, work, and goals. For example, Tesla's mission is to “… accelerate the world's transition to renewable energy.” Levi Strauss & Co.’s mission statement says, “People love our clothes and trust our company. We will market the most appealing and widely worn casual clothing in the world. We will clothe the world.” Meanwhile, The Hershey Company — the manufacturer of delicious treats such as Twizzlers, Hershey’s Kisses, and Reese’s peanut butter cups — gets right down to business with its stark mission statement: “Undisputed Marketplace Leadership.”

A common denominator here is the principle of return on investment, primarily to the organizations’ customers and stockholders. After all, these companies understand that they would not exist without their investors’ ongoing confidence and support. Likewise, their backers expect to see positive results from the company in one form or another.  

This is hardly a new concept. About 2,000 years ago, Jesus told a story about a man who gave his three servants a considerable amount of money (“talents”) to invest while he was away on a trip. After a while, the man returned to claim what was his. He was very pleased with the first two servants, who had invested their talents and doubled the money. But it wasn’t so with the third servant, who had feared the man’s stern reputation and sought to avoid a loss. His hopeless strategy was to play it safe by burying the money in the ground. The master was displeased, to say the least! Instead of commending the servant’s concern for safeguarding his resources, he was furious because of the wasted opportunity to invest and multiply his treasure.

This is where Jesus’ mission statement for his followers enters the picture: God has given us various talents, resources, opportunities, and circumstances to invest in the lives of others. They could be your spouse, sibling, or child. On the other hand, they might be a co-worker, neighbor, or someone God puts in your path at a most unexpected moment. It’s reassuring to know that our Creator has also sent us a special Helper to get the job done:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you,” Jesus assured his apostles, “and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

How are you using your God-given the talents? Are you investing them in others — or are you simply playing it safe? It’s through the Spirit that our mission as Christ-followers is possible.