Losing Money or Gaining a Soul?

"He who loses money, loses much; he who loses a friend, loses much more; he who loses faith, loses all.” -- Eleanor Roosevelt

Jesus said something similar in regards to losing something that’s worth more than money. He said in Matthew 16:26, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Our soul is the most valuable commodity we possess. Therefore we might conclude that souls in general are the most important commodity “on the market.” When we consider the opportunity for significant return is found in the most significant commodities in the market then souls would have to be a wise place to seek great gains.

That may sound like a selfish concept, but consider what our competition is doing to gain the SOULS of the people of the world. Trillions of dollars is spent on buying up as many souls as possible and sabotaging the market through corrupting their minds on false teaching, entertainment, and many other to ruin their lives. As an investor, I have to be poised and ready to get in the game if I want to tap into the greatest investment opportunity in existence. We have to consider our use of the assets that we have now as tools that can allow for those opportunities for gain.

What’s more important than having a bunch of dollars? The ability to use those dollars effectively. Effectiveness doesn’t just include being efficient or thrifty in how you spend it, but investing dollars into things that reach your highest goal. These are the things that many would say will have the biggest impact in your life and the lives around you. To make a big impact a person has to define for themselves what is “an impact”. When do I recognize that a person or a cause can make a big change where I’m at, or even society in general? The big change (in my opinion) is one that transcends beyond my life, which means it really can’t be about ME.

God made us to find some level of gratification from serving others. Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” When Jesus bent down and washed the feet of His disciples (John 13), He was stepping out of the position of a prophet, king, and savior and into a role that would show us how to invest in people to make big impacts in the lives around us.

The apostles witnessed such gracious, selfless acts of kindness during their time with Jesus, that it gave them fuel to know how to invest in the lives of people for a bigger future purpose. What could be bigger than eternal life in the greatest kingdom this world has ever seen during an indefinite time of peace unmatched since the creation of the world? To give of myself and to invest in the lives of someone that needs something to remind them of their greater purpose is an effective investment.

Here are a few common investment tips that I’d like to challenge you to think about in regards to the souls around you:

Untapped Market
Part of being a good investor is being able to spot a great deal, a once in a lifetime opportunity, or a diamond in the rough. The unseen qualities of a potential gold mine is where good investors end up capitalizing most.

“Buy low, sell high.”
We find people at their lowest, and we show them the blessings found only in Jesus Christ. With their new renovated view of life, they can now leave living with a higher purpose. When other people balk at the facade, or they reject the cover, we have been given divine instructions and guidance to see something deeper and act on it.

“The one who delays, often pays”
Another part of being a good investor is being able to find the deals that few people see before others see it. In a spiritual sense we’re not in a competition, but the sense of urgency should motivate us to be ready to move quickly.

I hope you can see the connection between how an investor might look for a deal and how God wants us to look at the people around us. It takes wisdom to see beyond our own selfishness and seek the good of others. In doing that we find that we make impacts in lives. Those lives become friends. Those friends love and care for us when we’re feeling down. In other words, the cycle is endless if we’ll spend our time and energy in things that are good investments – people.

To do that WILL mean we have to sacrifice of our financial means at times. People are hurting, my dollars can become a way to connect with a person and help them to discover their purpose. Pray for wisdom to see money as a tool and not a goal.