How to really invest…in a way Wall Street will never teach you!

Probing Proverbs 14:4 Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.

Human nature is a very interesting thing! What does a miser love? Money! What does a miser have a lot of? Money! What is money for? To provide needs and creature comforts. What does the miser refuse to use? Money! How many individuals have seemingly died as average to low income folks…some even appeared destitute, only to find huge sums of money in their house after they die?

The point of this Proverb is deeply profound. You can have a stable, and never allow it to get dirty…just do not use it for what it was intended for, housing animals. However, you then lose the use of those animals, which if used wisely could help supply the needs and wants of your family…BUT…it will mean your stable will not look or smell as good. We have countless examples of individuals that have had things…to just have them! They never experience the joy or gain that possession might bring, because they did not want to risk any problem with their precious possession.

There is a very important reality that we all need to glean from this. The most precious possession we have is our eternal soul and the momentary life we have on this earth. We have a choice to invest that life or just try to protect it and not allow any problems or difficulties enter into it.

Jesus put it this way:

Luke 9:24 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

The famous beer commercial was true – “You only go around once in life” – You can try and keep your life for you and in the end, everything ends with you and you will spend eternity regretting it! Contrarily, you can give your life to your Creator and let Him guide you on how to invest it! Then eternity is only filled with anticipation of the returns of your investment. There is no third reality! Don’t protect your life and keep it to yourself! Open your life to God and others, and watch the bountiful harvest that will be brought forth!

The So What: Do you see your life as yours, or God’s? Have you considered why you were created, your purpose, what only you can accomplish that God planned you for? Are you just existing or investing? Does what you are investing in have eternal consequences, or just here and now? Like beauty, youth and strength, is your life losing it’s ability with each year, or are you being renewed from within as that which is temporal is declining?

Can Words really hurt?…Define the word Hurt.

Probing Proverbs 14:3 A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him, but the words of the wise keep them safe.

“Karma”, “What goes around, comes around”, “Catch 22”…there are many ways to say it, my favorite is from Scripture: “You reap what you sow!” This Proverb contains a very profound Truth!

I was brought up on a saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me!”  There is truth to that, yet it is not quite true either. If we are defining hurt as physical damage, like being hit by a stick or a stone, words alone cannot do that. If on the other hand you are using the word “hurt” to mean damage to a person, words can inflict a lot of damage and even incite someone to hit you with a stick or a stone!

“Proud Talk” from a fool, will be demeaning to others…that is why it is called “proud” and can be so inflaming that when those words are returned on him, it will be like rods beating him…and some times if his talk is to a violent person, those rods could be real!

If you are wise, which would carry the idea of thinking before speaking, and I would encourage more that you pray before you say, those words will keep you safe. Again, let’s use common sense, this does not mean that harm in any form will not come on you, many wise and good individuals have been verbally and physically attacked by evil people. However, it is important to keep before you that the One Person you want to approve of what you said is the God of the universe. His Prophets spoke with wisdom and many were killed for it…BUT as they stood before God He praised them for speaking in a way He would.

We all make verbal mistakes…it is part of our fallen nature. Yet, even then, if we are wise we can humble ourselves, ask for wisdom, and then speak in a way that leads to peace. All it takes to ask for forgiveness is to get our ego out of the way.

The So What: Are you quick to give an answer? Do you measure your words? Is your goal to get what you want, or to give what God wants? Is there anyone that you offended with your words that God desires you to make things right with?