How Should We Invest in the Kingdom?

I certainly can’t tell others where to invest in God’s kingdom, but I can give my experience. It’s only when we stand before the Lord in the final accounting of our lives that we will know how effective we’ve been in things that truly matter to Him. But let me share a few things I’ve found helpful.

1. Listen to the whispers of the Holy Spirit. He speaks quietly. Sometimes His voice seems like my conscience, sometimes a nudge that may be slight or strong, emotional or not. And sometimes it is difficult to distinguish from my own thoughts. My wife and I work closely together to discern what the Holy Spirit seems to be telling both of us. Unity in our conviction regarding the Spirit’s prompting is an important part of ensuring that we give the right amount at the right time.

2. Invest deliberately. I intentionally set aside money to invest in future opportunities that I trust God to reveal when the time is right. This relieves pressure when requests are made of my wife and me. We are ready if the Lord confirms, but we are also convinced that obedience means saying no when we don’t sense His confirmation. I know this can be difficult to define, but let me assure you that it’s not about investing emotionally or just when we get a feeling. Part of the equation is deliberately and regularly focusing on the things God has revealed to us as being important to Him and in alignment with our spiritual gifts and motivation.

3. Take risks and have courage even when you don’t see outcomes. There is a risk-reward balance in all investments, including those in God’s kingdom. We don’t expect high rewards for low risks, nor do we accept high risk for low rewards. The higher the risk, the closer an investment comes to gambling, and we don’t see that as the mindset of a faithful steward. One protection is refusing to invest in things we don’t understand. On the other hand, we know that the commended stewards in the parable of the talents took risks that enabled them to double their master’s money. We don’t want to be so conservative that we try to remove all risk when investing in the kingdom. So, we pray for wisdom and attempt to exercise it in understanding and obeying God’s promptings.

Dear Lord, help me discern when and how You would like me to invest the resources You have blessed me with. Amen.