As good stewards of the assets the Lord entrusts us, part of our responsibility is to invest to prepare for the future and help others.
We must follow biblical investment principles to guard against the sins of greed, pride, envy, and foolish ignorance that often accompany investing activities. These include diligent planning, consulting a multitude of counselors (including a prudent, goldy wife), diversifying ("give a portion to seven, and also to eight"), and exercising careful management.
Investments, unlike savings, are undertaken with long-term goals in mind, especially retirement. While preparing for retirement, we must follow the Levitical example in the book of Numbers. First, retirement is legitimate. After decades of strenuous work, it is proper to rest. Retirement is a form of a sabbath. However, second, we must guard against the modern idea of retirement: no work, all play. Returning to Numbers chapter 8, after the Levites retire from strenuous work, we see in verse 26 that they still work, just with a lighter load. The hours may be shorter, the work different, and the pay lower or nonexistent, yet the Lord still has work for us to do in our "golden" years. |
