Wealth for Kingdom Building–I

Everything belongs to God, and God calls each of us to help build His Kingdom.

Now, we are not all called to be pastors or preachers, nor may we be able to heal the sick. But building the kingdom of God is more than just preaching and healing. It’s about building “treasure in heaven”–something each of us can do. Check these words of Jesus:

“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. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21

Here, Jesus says that it’s not about the return on investment, or growing the wealth entrusted to us, but how we build treasure in heaven. Luke brings in additional clarity on the same teaching, recording a more radical version of Jesus' words:

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.” – Luke 12:32-33

Sell it all and give it away. Help the poor. Really?!?

How can we grow and manage wealth for the greater good if we’re giving it all away? In the Old Testament, God teaches us how to start:

“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.” – Leviticus 19:9-10

Here’s the concept of “gleaning,” where farmers of Old Testament times help the poor by leaving the margins unharvested. God told them, go ahead and leverage your wealth (the land) and work it, but leave the edges for the poor. In modern-day investment terms, we might translate this is as follows:

Work to secure a good return on your wealth, but don’t apply the same rigor to all investments. Rather, take a portion of your fund, and use it to help those who otherwise cannot get ahead. Invest in the marginal enterprises that are too small for the venture firms, and too risky for the banks. Just invest without expectation for any return. Trust me; I am God (and it’s all mine anyway, so just do as I say).

OK, maybe that’s something we can manage. Think about that relative to your portfolio. Is God speaking to you in a way that you can act on?