The book of Ecclesiastes is often overlooked. Most Christians would probably sum up the book as the one that says, ‘All is meaningless.’ As such, it is usually dismissed as depressing and negative in its outlook.
This is a pity as the book contains immense wisdom and offers much application for life in the modern world.
Among other things, it offers plenty financial wisdom in chapter eleven. For instance, consider the verse below. In the midst of the ‘All is meaningless’ rhetoric, lies this gem of wisdom about investment in the Bible.
Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
Ecclesiastes 11:2
So, if it is about investment, what does it mean? A modern variation of this proverb might be ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket’. Sound advice as, if that one basket meets with disaster, so does your entire investment.
Investment in the Bible
In stock market terms, this would be called spreading risk. In other words, investors might spread their portfolio across different asset classes to reduce their losses if things go bad on one sector.
In property, you might achieve this by investing in multiple smaller properties rather than a single large one to spread your risk. That way if one property is vacant for a month or two, at least the others will continue to generate income.
However, most hard-working people in the modern economy only invest in a single venture; their job. They have no additional source of income and rely solely on their 401(k) or pension scheme to support them in their old age.
This is not a sin and Ecclesiastes 11:2 certainly does not suggest that. It merely offers some wisdom and suggests that we consider creating additional sources of income. Invest in seven ventures; yes, in eight. That way, if disaster comes, you have alternatives.
Some wise counsel about investment in the Bible.
I’m mindful of the recent Coronavirus crisis. In the early stages, the UK went into complete lockdown. This had a major impact on one couple I know. Both husband and wife ran their own businesses which they were forced to close for several months during which they earned zero revenue.
Fortunately, back when they got married, they each owned a house. Instead of pooling resources and moving into the biggest property they could afford, they moved into one house and rented the other out to tenants. Over the years, they saved and bought an additional rental property. As such, this couple has invested in four ventures; their two businesses and two rental properties.
When the Covid-19 disaster struck, two of those ventures – their businesses – began to struggle. At least they had two additional sources of income to carry them through those tough times.
For the record, this is not a couple who I would consider as hardened capitalists. Nor are they people who spend all their time and effort in pursuit of riches. They are normal, hard-working people who have chosen to manage their money wisely and hope to supplement their retirement income with the rental properties they have bought.
The Covid-19 pandemic was an unexpected challenge for many families all over the globe. It was encouraging to see how one family came through some tough times relatively unscathed, just by applying some little-known Biblical wisdom.
Afterword
It is worth noting that many of the commentaries interpret Ecclesiastes 11:2 as a verse about giving to others generously. However, most of the actual Bible translations listed here use the word ‘venture’ or ‘investment’. Of those that employ the word ‘give’ most use it in the generic sense, which could just as easily mean ‘apportion’, rather than specifically in the context of giving to others.
As such, I read this verse more in the context of investment than giving. This should in no way diminish the value of giving generously. The Bible contains many verses that encourage giving both to God’s kingdom and to the poor. This just isn’t one of them, in my opinion.