Why Christians Should Invest Their Money
“Investing”. The word probably conjures up several different images.
A greedy banker.
Dollar signs.
A small business that your uncle suggests you “invest” in.
But what exactly is investing?
“Investing is the act of committing money or capital to an endeavor (a business, project, real estate, etc.) with the expectation of obtaining an additional income or profit.”
-Investopedia.com
Of course, probably the most common form of investing is through the purchase of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. The Motley Fool writes, “Over the past 70 years, the S&P 500 advanced 1,100-fold. That's enough to turn a single, modest $1,000 investment into more than a million dollars. It's extra meaningful when you consider that this massive gain happened despite many double-digit market crashes, recessions, and even the Great Depression. The lesson is that over the long haul, the stock market tends to rise -- just not in a straight line” (January 2016).
One of the most common regrets I hear from people older than me is this: “I wish I had started investing when I was your age.” A former missionary actually told me, “If I could have done it all over again, I would have put all that money I spent towards college tuition and invested it instead.”
So, should Christians invest?
I believe the answer is YES...but I’m not going to use financial or practical reasons to primarily support my answer. Instead, I want to go straight to the source for Christian spirituality - the Bible - in order to encourage and motivate believers like myself to see investing in a new light. When done for the right reasons, investing can become a spiritual act of worship.
BAD REASONS TO INVEST
Before we get into the reasons why Christians should invest, we’ll look at a few reasons why Christians should not invest.
Greed
Greed
The Bible is clear that as individuals, we cannot take anything with us when we die. If we try to find happiness solely in the amount of money we have and the things it can buy, sooner or later we will be disappointed. The fact is, we can experience peace and joy no matter how much money we have.
“Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”
1 Timothy 6:6-8 ESV
“And he [Jesus] said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covertousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Luke 12:15
Fear
Many people invest solely to build up a security net. They think, “If I have just x amount of money, then I won’t have to worry” or, in accordance with Murphy's Law, “Someday I may incur a million dollars in medical expenses. If I invest now, maybe I’ll have just enough to pay the bills if my insurance fails.” Or, “In order to have a good retirement, I need a million dollars.”
In contrast, the Bible exhorts us to place our trust in God, no matter how much money we may have in the bank.
“Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.”
Proverbs 11:28
“Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”
Hebrews 13:5
Good Reasons to Invest
We know that greed and fear are not good reasons for investing, but what are some good reasons? What can help us understand that investing is not only a good practice, but a vital one that is helpful for our spiritual formation?
Investing can help future generations
I know a guy who likes to call his retirement fund an “inheritance fund”. He wants to keep working until the day he dies, but he invests money so that when he is gone his children can have an inheritance. Perhaps you may feel the same way: you hesitate to invest money because you think you may not need the money later. However, investments can become a gift that you leave your loved ones, or you can make your local church or ministry a beneficiary.
“A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren, but the sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.”
Proverbs 13:22
Investing can help strengthen the economy.
This may not sound uber spiritual, but it is.
Almost all large businesses are set up as corporations. A corporation raises most of their money through the sale of shares of stock, or partial ownership rights. Thus, stockholders (or shareholders) help a company raise funds to do business, and in return the corporation will share some of the profits with the stockholders. Without the sale of stocks, some corporations would not be able to employ workers or do basic business. In other words, without the stock market, the U.S. economy would look very different.
Therefore, when Christians invest wisely intro trusted companies that perform good business practices, they are helping the society they live in to thrive.
This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it has prosperity, you will prosper.”
Jeremiah 29:4-7
“Send your bread on the surface of the waters, for after many days you may find it.”
Ecclesiastes 11:1
(This is an allusion to trade; in the ancient world, many products were shipped across the seas in order to be sold in foreign lands)
Investing helps advance God’s Kingdom
Money is a tool that can be used for evil or for good. Spirituality costs money. Church buildings, missions, and educational institutions all require funds in order to operate. God wants His people to seek out ways to gain profit in order to bless others. Jesus told the following parable to illustrate this truth:
“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey. He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent, depending on each one’s ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. In the same way the man with two earned two more. But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
“After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I’ve earned five more talents.’
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’
“The man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I’ve earned two more talents.’
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’
“The man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a harsh man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’
“His master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy servant! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and I would have received my money back with interest when I returned.
“‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Matthew 25:14-30
The Ultimate Goal of Investing
By now, I hope you realize that although “money is the root of many kinds of evil”, money can also be used for good. Investing a portion of your finances can help provide an inheritance for your family, strengthen the economy, and be used to fund the work of Christian organizations.
"And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Colossians 3:17
For further research:
Recommended Tools:
Below are some apps and websites that I have used to invest some of my money that may help you get started:
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
Comments
Post a Comment