Wise Investments
Scripture Reading — Proverbs 17:1-16
Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it?
Proverbs 17:16
I often am amazed at the amount of money people can spend or lose. It’s rare that a month goes by without news of a famous actor or business-person who has lost everything. The cause usually boils down to some kind of folly.
How could you have millions of dollars and then lose it all? Well, you could spend them on luxuries or disposable goods or gamble it away at casinos or in bad investments. You could waste it by throwing huge, extravagant parties for weeks on end. If you were in business, you could take wild risks and produce inferior products that cost you a lot but wouldn’t sell because no one wanted them. There are lots of ways to lose a fortune!
But all these actions are irresponsible and foolish. Instead of being invested for the common good, money is squandered. Instead of nurturing responsible productivity, wealth is wasted in foolishness and self-indulgence. A famous proverb—perhaps with today’s verse in mind—states, “A fool and his money are soon parted.” Act foolishly with your money, and you won’t have it for long. Not only will you lose it, but your church and family will not be blessed by it either. It will be a loss for the kingdom of God.
Wisdom with our money is needed. Wise people invest in kingdom-honoring businesses, their church, family, and community. Does your investment strategy reflect eternal values?
Lord, help us to be wise with our money. May we seek your wisdom when we have opportunities to use your money. Amen.
About the author — Kent Van Til
Kent Van Til was a missionary in Costa Rica. He taught theological ethics both there and in the USA. He is the author of four books. The most recent is a spiritual biography of his grandmother entitled, "A Name for Herself: A Dutch Immigrant's Story." Kent likes to fish, hunt, make music, and entertain his grandchildren.
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