“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Mt. 6:19–20)
When I was in high school, one of my teachers encouraged all of us students to go to college and earn a degree in case we married and experienced one of the three Ds: death, divorce, or disability. She strongly advocated that we all—boys and girls alike—needed to be able to support ourselves should the worst happen.
Her prompting isn’t why I went to college, but it did confirm what I already knew—investing in myself and my future was a smart thing to do, and I’ve never forgotten that lesson.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the adage, “Pay yourself first.” One of my friends has been learning about investing, and he shares what he learns about stocks and bonds and investments with me. Our conversations have prompted me to think about my financial future. I have retirement accounts from both of my previous employers, but since I started running my own business several years ago, my focus has been on paying the bills, not myself.
With another birthday quickly approaching, I realized I needed to start putting money aside for retirement again. I can’t count on a company or the government to ensure I’ll have enough money to live on once I get older. Maybe I’ll decide to work full time—both of my parents still do even though they’re both past retirement age—especially if I stay healthy and can do something I enjoy.
Thinking about financial investments led me to consider other ways we invest, especially with our time, and how those investments pay off in the long run.
In our children: If you have kids, you know that investing in your children by spending time with them, mentoring them, and guiding them is a privilege. You may not have kids (like me), but you may still have opportunities to invest in your nieces or nephews or other children in your life. The investment you make when a child is young will pay dividends for many years to come.
In our family and friends: We spend time with friends and family and share our lives with them. We lean on them for support, and they do the same for us. In return, our relationships grow stronger.
In ourselves: We buy things we want, we spend time the way we want—let’s face it, we often invest in ourselves over others. But investment in ourselves isn’t all bad. When focused properly, investing in ourselves leads to better education, better jobs, more financial freedom, better health, and better relationships.
In our relationship with Jesus: We spend time with him by praying, studying the Bible, and listening for the Holy Spirit. We seek like-minded individuals with which to create a community because “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Prov. 27:17). In return, we grow closer to Jesus and better learn to discern his leading.
In Matthew 6:21, Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Where we spend our time and money is a clear indication of what we value most. Investing in the future isn’t only about saving for retirement—it’s also about the things we do to help others find Jesus. With Jesus’s help, we can be an example for others by spending our time bearing fruit for his kingdom.
Dear Jesus, thank you for opportunities to invest in others and ourselves. Help us to use those opportunities to point people to you and grow the kingdom of God. Amen.