I became a Christian at age ten and recommitted my life to God in my mid-teens. As such, I have lived most of my life as a Christian actively involved in Church and in attendance every Sunday with only a handful of exceptions.
I also spent two years in full-time Bible College, learning God’s word and submitting to Biblical teaching.
Below is a short list of verses about investment in the Bible that I have never heard taught in any church I attended. This is not because my pastors have been systematically trying to hide something from me. Rather, it is more likely that they don’t really understand the significance of these verses themselves.
This is sad because these verses contain immense wisdom in the area of money and how Christians should conduct themselves with regards to their own finances.
Investment in the Bible
Save Rather than Consume
Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.
Proverbs 21:20
Put in a more modern context, this verse simply asserts that wise people save a portion of their income for the future while foolish people spend everything they have right now.
I know this is a tough pill to swallow, especially for those hard-working believers who are doing all they can just to make ends meet. Bills mount up, inflation takes its toll and there always seems to be ‘too much month at the end of the money’. I feel your pain. We’ve all been there.
Unfortunately, this Bible verse tells us that saving is wise; it never said it was easy.
If you currently find yourself in this position, you are simply starting your journey towards understanding investment in the Bible. All I can suggest is baby steps. If we can save just one percent of our current income, we shift camps, from “foolish” to “wise”, according to this scripture.
Beyond that lies the promise… Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling.
Take Good Care of Your Investment Portfolio
Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
Proverbs 27:23-24
In Biblical times, land and livestock were the assets by which wealth was measured. They were what property, shares and commodities are in our economy today.
And God’s word instructs us to take good care of those assets. Plain and simple.
I realize this flies in the face of popular Christian thinking (i.e. Don’t build wealth because the love of money is the root of all evil).
Don’t get mad at me. I’m just pointing out what is written in the Bible.
First Focus on Your Assets and Income
Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.
Proverbs 24:27
As already stated, land was an asset in Bible times, just as it is today. This is where the Bible tells us to invest our time and energy.
With respect to investment in the Bible, this proverb teaches us to focus first on our income-producing assets (i.e. our “fields”) before we focus on our creature comforts (i.e. our home).
In the modern context, not everyone is a farmer. Our “fields” today might be rental properties, stocks and shares, or small businesses. It is those assets that will pay for our food and shelter in years to come and without them, we risk losing the home we have worked so hard to build.
And yet, despite what God’s word says on the subject, most people do just the opposite. They spend their entire working life buying a bigger and better home to live in without even a passing thought of using some of their hard-earned income to buy a second property or to invest in shares with a good dividend yield which could produce a passive income for life.
Create Multiple Income Streams
Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
Ecclesiastes 11:2
The Bible actually tells us to invest in multiple income streams. That way, when one fails, at least the others are able to support you during tough times.
Most people today do exactly the opposite. They earn all their money via a single income stream; their job. The risk is that, if we lose that job, we lose everything.
Put Your Assets to Work
Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.
Proverbs 12:11
Who knew the Bible had anything to say about Get-Rich-Quick schemes? On the other hand, why wouldn’t it? Human nature has not changed one jot in several thousand years.
Want to build wealth? Go slow. Acquire assets and put those assets to work. Another way of saying this is; don’t simply work for money – make your money work for you. Do this diligently. Over time, that diligence will pay off.
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