What Is The Best Long Term Gain?

With politics, the stock market, and the economy seeming to be so unpredictable to most of us these days, it is very difficult to know where we should invest for the best long term gain. If you talk to a handful of financial advisors, you will likely get a handful of opinions on the subject. Unfortunately, this is not a game that allows us to sit on the sidelines…we must participate. How then do we invest for the best long term gain?

As you might guess, I have a little different perspective for you to consider on this topic.

Last Post

In my last post, we looked at two key characters in the book of Luke (18:18-23 and 19:1-10) that will help us understand the best strategy for long term gain. For the full effect, you really need to read that post before reading further in this one.

In that last post, I discussed the differences between the rich young ruler and Zacchaeus. Both of these men were wealthy by the world’s standards. Both encountered Jesus and both made a choice. The rich young ruler chose to retain his grip on his wealth while Zacchaeus released his grip on wealth and chose to embrace Jesus instead.

What Jesus Says Next!

The reason this contrast became so vivd to me was that I read these two stories almost back-to-back in Luke 18 & 19. I had read each before, but not one after the other like this. I believe there is purpose in these two stories being so close together. If we follow this logic, then let’s take a look at the very next verses after the story of Zacchaeus!

If you read the very next words (Luke 19:11-27), you realize Jesus has continued his speaking and gone on to tell a parable. If you recognize that this parable comes right on the heels of two actual encounters relating to the wealth of this world, then you would be wise to heed the parable and apply it accordingly.

Parable of the Ten Minas

Jesus relays to the crowd the parable of the 10 minas. In this story, a nobleman is going off to be crowned king. This is fitting because Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem to be “crowned king” as well – though not in the way his followers thought. The nobleman calls some of his servants together, gives them money, and tells them, “Engage in business until I come back.”

As he leaves, it is clear that many of his subjects did not want him to become king and they opposed him. Upon his return, now with the authority as king, he recalled his servants to hold them accountable for their returns. The first two have invested (at risk) and gained returns. They are praised and given more authority in his new kingdom.

A third servant admits to hiding the money he was given (avoiding risk), not investing it at all. He is judged to be an evil slave and what he had was taken from him. Then the king calls for those who opposed his crowning as king to be killed.

We Have a Choice

There are many lessons in this story – too many to cover them all. Jesus was clearly foreshadowing His own “going away” and returning later as King. In the meantime, all of us have a choice to make as to whether we support or oppose His “crowning”.

Understanding this, we can see that He has given each of us what we have in this world, with the expectation that we will invest it while He is gone. We can know that we will be held accountable for our results when this life ends or when He returns. The question I would encourage you to ask yourself is, “What return is He expecting from my investment?”

God’s Expected Return

See if you follow my logic here. God owns everything, right? Scripture backs this up so there really is no doubt about this. If He already owns everything, then does He need a “financial” return on His investment? Is he interested in more dollars, yen, rupees, etc.?

If He already owns ALL of the money in the world, what is the ONE thing that He seeks? What is it that He does not already have?

Souls. God has given every soul on earth the freedom to choose Him as King or not. Yet, from Scripture it is clear that He desires EVERYONE to come to Him (2 Peter 3:8-9). He seeks souls! He wants them all!

What Will You Choose?

So if you accept this, then you realize that He wants you to take the time, treasure, talents, and resources He has given you in this world and invest them for the very best long term gain – a return of souls. This follows the Great Commission – make disciples of all nations!

This is where we see the connection between the previous stories about the rich young ruler and Zacchaeus. These two men had to choose between Jesus and their grip on their wealth. They could not maintain a hold on both.

If we are to please Jesus during this life, we must recognize that He wants us to release our grip on everything other than Him. For some that choose Him, He may have them retain their worldly wealth as a means to impact others for eternity. For others, they might have to walk away from it to choose Him and increase their impact.

Best Long Term Gain

We cannot pretend to know how He will deal with each of us. What we can know is that whatever He has given us is for the purpose of “engaging in business” while He is gone. We are to invest these resources in ways that will point others to Him. Our main goal must be to bring Him the eternal returns He desires, not the worldly wealth our flesh desires. This is the best long term gain!

Release your grip and invest wisely!