My best investment

Everyone is talking about it — the financial markets are scary. Nobody knows what to invest in, how much, or maybe when to take a pause from investing for awhile.

The Bible has a story about the stock market — of sorts. The Bible says Jesus shared a story about giving talents and taking talents (talents was a unit of money) from servants based off how much or little they invested it for the master. The story says that the one who invested wisely for the purpose of the master (not himself) — was entrusted with even more. In fact, the servant who didn't invest it (and just hid it) lost his talents to the servant who invested.

What has God entrusted to you? Family? Friends? Acquaintances? Material possessions? Resources? Influence? Fame? Skill or knowledge? Maybe something else of value?

Whatever that 'something' is — God is watching us. And me. He wants to see how we will handle, today, what He's entrusted us with. Will we squander it? Will we invest in it? Will we use it for our personal gain, friend's gain, family's gain — or His gain?

Too many times my mindset is, "God, I want to be entrusted with more (for myself). What am I doing wrong?" Maybe He's not because I'm not currently investing wisely what He's given me TODAY. And maybe my motive is to gain more for me instead of Him. I'm not talking just about money, but everything my life is. That includes my time and the words I'm writing right now. It includes this very moment as you are reading these words. Are you investing wisely?

I sometimes wonder what the wise servant did with the extra money given to him. Did he continue investing for the master — or did he think it was his to spend? Or did he learn "if I invest, I get more." Or did he learn "if I invest, my master gets more."

Matthew 25
23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’"

Lord, You've entrusted me with a certain amount of everything today. Help me gain the perspective that I should invest so that YOU gain more, not me. I want to be the servant that you smile at simply because I've invested wisely so Your return is greater.