Invest? In what?!?

The market is insane. The DJIA is at an 11-year low. People are losing their savings, and their retirement, and other investments. The conditions contribute to fear, insecurity and despair.

Where do you invest? Nothing seems secure.

A picture of the final judgement appears in Matthew 25:31 -46 (NLT). When Jesus returns, he will return in all of his glory, with angels with him, and he will sit on a throne where he will conduct the final judgement of the earth as we know it. Not many like to think about this, but we will all participate. This passage tells us that "all the nations will be gathered in his presence."

I find it interesting that this picture occurs right after the parable of the three servants. The parable begins "the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone." The servants had been entrusted with his money.

Entrust - to commit (something) in trust to; confide, as for care, use, or performance.

There was an expectation that the servants would care for the money by using it and thereby increasing its value. Two of the servants invested the money gathering a return on their investments. The third was fearful and hid the money (a little like sticking cash between the mattress).

The master was thrilled with the results of the servants who received a return. He commended them with "well done." He was angry with the servant who responded in fear and did not increase the value of the money -- in fact, the money was probably devalued. He called this servant, "wicked."

The story does not reveal how the two servants invested the money. This story is a parable -- a practical story with a spiritual meaning. We can find what I believe is the answer to how the investments were managed in the subsequent verses. If we follow the subsequent line of Jesus' message, we find ourselves reading about the final judgement - similar to the master's return in the parable. Just as the master "judged" the servants, Jesus' says he will judge all mankind.

So, what is the measure by which Jesus' judges? For those he receives, he says (v34-36, 40):

‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
...
when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

These people invested what they received during their lifetime into others. And, for those who refused to help others, he rejected them saying (v45):

‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

The servants in the parable all received different amounts of money and resources. We're expected to be good stewards of whatever we have received -- both great and small. Invest wisely. Be generous in helping others.