When London hosted the Olympic and Paralympic games this year they promised to Inspire a Generation. Such bold, audacious words, a vision with huge scope. Still the best city on earth (full disclosure: Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner, that I love London so…) captured the world’s attention when hosting the Olympic and Paralympic games. London sought to inspire and entertain the world, but from the outset of their Olympic bid years before, the London Games had another goal. They wanted to inspire a generation at home to greater sporting activity and achievement and to help create a healthier, more active nation. Bold vision indeed.

But they did inspire us. Or at least the athletes from around the world did. Somehow a summer of sport elevated us, united us, enthralled and inspired us. We were inspired by their athletic prowess, their accomplishment, their passion and sacrifice. There was something extraordinary about the accomplishments of these ordinary men and women.

Alongside the celebrations in the UK press, I saw lots of articles where former athletes and politicians noted that if the country were to inspire a generation and create a lasting legacy they would have to consistently invest in the next generation. The inspiration that the Games achieved was only the beginning. The next generation needed more than role models. They needed commitment, prioritizing, financial investment, key relationships, time and sacrifice.

The inspiring athletes’ lives confirmed their findings. Behind Gabby Douglas’ gold medals stood an array of coaches and gym academies, a family who encouraged, supports and sacrificed for her, and a new family who hosted Gabby as she trained. A village that rose up the greatness within the child. Weaved into the story of David Rudisha electrifying success in the 800m was a missionary and teacher named Brother Colm Connell. Brother Colm was originally contracted to serve at St Patrick’s boarding School, in Iten, a village in Kenya for 3 years. He was encouraged to help out in the athletics program and his placement extended to a lifelong call. The school honors their students who have gone on to win a world championship title by plants a tree in its gardens. There are a lot of trees planted in that garden, over 30. The joke in Iten is that one day the school will have a forest. Behind Oscar Pistorius, David Weir, Ellie Simmonds and many other Paralympians stood parents, friends, families and coaches who refused to buy into the society’s definition of able and bodied and cultivated their potential as athletes. The world was redefined.

Their stories confirmed that if you want to inspire a generation and produce inspiring leaders you have to invest in them. You invest time, effort, energy, relationship, passion, sacrifice and commitment. That kind of investment transforms a life forever.

I was inspired throughout the summer, but I wasn’t fundamentally changed. Yes my soul leapt, even soared occasionally. But in all honesty, the Games didn’t transform me. My inspiration only motivated me so far to get in a few extra snacks so I could sit down watch more inspirational sport .Weeks later my first post-Olympic workout was a painful, humbling wakeup call and a half. That and the fact that I couldn’t fit into my clothes. Oh the twisted, flabby, irony.

There was another kairos brewing though, not quite as personal, but perhaps just as uncomfortable. I was reminded that as we seek to plant missional communities, lead movements, reach our communities, we will need leaders. Disciple making leaders, leaders with call and capacity to respond to the missional challenges and opportunities of our day. Leaders marked by passionate love for God, radical community and missional zeal. What would it mean to inspire a generation of leaders who would transform communities across the nation? Across the nations?

I recognized that inspiration plays a powerful role, igniting our hearts. We need visionaries; we need the dreamers. We need to be inspired towards something, someone greater, a vision we can lose our lives in. Without a vision we fade away. Yes we need to inspire a generation, to love and live for Christ. It’s just that inspiration is not enough. In fact all our passionate ideas, even our conversation about being missional can become little more than a form of entertainment after a while, over a snack and a beverage. We build on inspiration with investment.

When I look back over my life I ‘m grateful for the inspiration and investment I’ve received. It has opened up a world of opportunity. In my teens I was inspired by the rare faces of women of color who read the news (Thank God for UK newsreader Moira Stuart) or had positions of leadership in a society at a time where there were questions about what young women of color could achieve and become. There were teachers who cultivated my talents, invested in my life, gave me extra work to stretch me, challenged my weaknesses and would not relent until I grew. I was inspired by the lives of the leaders I met in Bible college, they let me see their lives; theology that was lived. Their investment was humbling; time spent praying with me, lowering me through the roof of my limitations to Jesus’ feet, for the past paralyzed me. I was inspired when I moved to Sheffield and heard a vision for a city that empowered everyone to reach out the lost, last and least. I was inspired when the vision carriers were generous enough to let me and my friends get involved. Everybody got to play, priesthood of all believers style. And again, I was invested in. By a landlady who gave me ridiculously low rent, even often rent free. She cancelled my debts when I graduated college and considered it her gift to the Lord. It was a life transforming gift to me. I was invested in by leaders who invited me into their homes, who built on what others had invested in me and then gave me opportunity after opportunity to discover God’s purposes for my life. And they stood alongside through it all. Yes the lord invested in me, yes he discipled me, but he used every part of His Body to do so.

When you look back on your life, do you see people who inspired you and invested in you?

Many of us were part of what they called the emerging generation, but I think it’s fair to say we have truly emerged now. The caterpillar did the cocoon thing and became a butterfly and now dare I say it we have greying wings! What happens next? Right now I cannot stop thinking about our call the next generation; to inspire a generation and invest in them. May we be ready and willing to pay the price and seize the opportunity.

Who is God calling you to invest in?

What are you going to do about it?