Day Thirty-Three

INVESTMENT

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I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

—PHILIPPIANS 3:14 NIV

There is no significant return without a wise investment. Correspondingly, the level of your investment in the things of the spirit determines the level of the return you receive. (See Galatians 6:8-9.)

Investment is not just about finances. As I described in The Prosperous Soul book, there are three key things you can choose to spend, waste, or invest: Your time, your talents, and your treasure. To experience richness in each of these areas, you need to understand how to make wise investments.

We are used to spending money, spending time, and spending our talents. Every interaction and activity of your day, however, is an opportunity for investment. Rather than spend time, invest it. Realize that once a resource is spent—whether time, energy, or an opportunity—it’s gone, it’s wasted. If instead you intentionally invest your assets, you will see a compound—even exponential—return.

What we offer the world is extremely valuable. The problem is that many of us are wasting the very commodities that, if invested, could make a significant difference in the lives of those closest to us, and for those we regularly encounter in our spheres of influence.

You are probably wondering, What does it look like to invest the intangibles of talent and time? The starting place is wisdom. You cannot be idle when it comes to the resources you have been entrusted with. You must learn the art of evaluating, asking yourself, “Is this a good investment, or is it the best investment?” Good often invites you to receive an instant return, while best might yield results you won’t see until sometime in the future. Best is always the option that produces the richest long-term return.

If you want to experience a richer life, learn to invest. It is the wise investors who reap a multiplicity of returns. Become a wise investor of your time, treasure, and talent—and experience a multiplied return in every area of your life.

You must never underestimate the power you have to invest in the precious moments of your days, for what remains at the end of the day you will have invested a portion of your life for it. Take time to restore, refuel, and refresh regularly—it’s an investment that will energize you to be more active and invested in every other area of your life.

Start evaluating everything you do by this simple question: “Is this a good decision that will spend my time/talent/treasure, or is this the best decision that will invest my time/talent/treasure?”

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Describe your understanding of the practice of investment. How does it help you to see your time, talent, and treasures differently?

In what ways can an investment-minded person experience increase in their time and talent? (It is easy to wrap our minds around financial investments producing increase; I want to help you see how other investments produce a different kind of increase.)

Pick one area of your life where you would like to see a greater return on investment. Evaluate how you are currently stewarding this area.

ACTION STEPS

Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul.

—EDWARD ABBEY

I want you to enjoy a multiplied return on investment in every area of your life! The key is identifying where you are not making the best investments and start changing the way you steward your time, talent, and treasures. Ask yourself, “Where do I need to make better investments in life?” Remember, God qualifies us for increase based on stewardship. Investment demonstrates that we can be trusted with more, rather than being someone who simply wastes or squanders what he or she has been given for a quick result.