Devotional: Investing over Saving
Written by Emma Roos, Social Media Manager, Salvation Army Northern Division
I recently started the financial planning process. One of the first concepts I learned is the difference between saving and investing. Saving is a way of protecting while investing is a way of growing. This made me think: What should we be doing with all the other gifts that are entrusted to us? Should we be saving or investing?
In Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV), the parable of the talents, we hear of a master entrusting three servants with his property while he’s away. When the master returns and begins taking inventory, the first two servants double what they were entrusted, but the last servant brings back the same amount he was given. In verse 27, the master responds by saying, “You should have put my money on deposit with the bankers so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.”
The parable of talents gives us a clear idea of what God expects from us. Instead of overprotecting what we have, we should be multiplying it.
“Multiplying” will always have an element of risk involved, but the alternative of staying put doesn’t yield results. In fact, it’s often based in fear. Remember, the gifts we’ve been given are God’s, not ours. It would be a great shame for us to underutilize our time, money, relationships, or talents because of fear of the future. God wants us to further His kingdom. In order to do that, we must be active with our resources.
When it comes to financial investing, we go into it knowing that we’re risking our money – there are no guarantees. But when we invest our lives and money with God, we can take comfort in the fact that we are protected by His faithfulness. Guaranteed. We trade in fear for a new confidence in God, who says, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1 (NIV)
What will you do with the talents you have been entrusted with?
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