Luke 12:33-34
“Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Do a quick search on Youtube on “what to invest in” and the opinions and advice runs on page after page, from folks you’ve heard of (Warren Buffet, Dave Ramsey) and folks that no one has heard of, no pedigree or experience required.
“Invest in the stock market”
“Hoard gold and silver”
“Start buying Bitcoin”
“Real Estate is where it’s at”
The advice is endless and all over the map. We don’t want to miss out on the next great opportunity. FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) creates an anxiety in us in an already anxious time. And this FOMO typically drives the market – and on more than one occasion, it drives it right…into…the…ground.
While most of us right now are tightening our belts and trying to figure out how to have a little more stability and security, the wise look to the scriptures. But the advice that Jesus gives goes in an entirely different direction. He explains that our portfolio should be heavy in eternal commodities. Like the Youtube gurus, Jesus tells us to sell all we have to invest in this wonderful new opportunity. But again He zigs when the others zag. His advice? “Sell all you have and give to the needy.” (insert record needle scratch here).
Now I have to be honest. I’ve sold things I’ve had (whether through garage sales, eBay or FB Marketplace) to pay off some debt or get something that I really, really wanted. But I can’t recall a time that I sold anything so I could give to the needy. The needy get my leftovers, the change in my pocket (if I don’t have need of it). But Jesus is calling us to the long game. And eternal investments call for a shift in perspective. This perspective is woven throughout the whole of Jesus’ teachings and it effects us in all areas of our life. You ready? You’ve heard it before. Here goes.
It’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s about Him.
When we live with this understanding, we live in generosity. With live “others focused” to glorify our Heavenly Father. We look for ways to skimp and save so we can invest in the things that truly matter. And what better guarantee can we get than from the King of Kings that this investment will have a payout that we can’t imagine.
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:
- Have you ever experienced FOMO about an opportunity? How did you react? What was the result?
- Why would giving to the needy be an investment in the eternal?
- What are some reasons that some might hesitate at this advice?
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you?
Explain – what does the passage mean?
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today?
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Jon Price
Photo by Nick Chong on Unsplash