Investment requires an element of risk. So, faith and investing go hand in hand. Because of this, we need to be diligent to gain an understanding of the market. One way we can do this is to entrust a financial advisor to help manage our investments. It is also an opportunity to grow our faith by seeking God’s wisdom and guidance in our investing. At WealthBuilders, one of our core beliefs is that God allows us to grow our finances for His purposes. It is important to continually ground ourselves in scripture when it comes to building Kingdom wealth so that we stay humble and focused. 

What is God’s heart behind investing? How do we invest in the right companies? What does it look like to partner with God through investing? In this blog, I answer these questions and dive into three aspects of God’s identity that relate to how we invest our money.

 

God is a God of Multiplication

God loves to bless us beyond what we can even imagine. He reveals time and time again through the scriptures that He is a God of abundance and provision. Take the story of Jesus feeding the Five Thousand. A large crowd was following Jesus because they saw the signs and wonders that were taking place as he healed the sick. He takes an offering of five barley loaves and two fish and multiplies enough food for 5,000 people— plus leftovers. After the miracle, people were rejoicing, “This is indeed the prophet who has come into the world!” (John 6:14 ESV) 

Jesus does miracles to 

• Give people what they need  
• Reveal the truth of who He is 

 

When it comes to investing your finances, it’s important to remember that we serve a God of multiplication. Your future begins with what you have in your hand right now. Nothing is too little to multiply. With our small offering of proverbial loaves and fishes, God can do the impossible to serve people’s needs and show the glory of who He is. How awesome is it that we get the honor of taking part in that process!

 

God is a God of Partnership

Do you know the first thing that God did when He placed Adam in the Garden of Eden? He gave him a job. Just as Adam was given the responsibility to tend the garden and name every living thing, God gives us specific jobs and opportunities to co-labor with Him. 

Co-laboring with God in our finances can take many different shapes. A great example is found in Matthew 25:14-30 (MSG). The Parable of the Talents discusses a homeowner who is going on an extended trip. Before he leaves, he gives away talents (money) and delegates responsibilities to his servants “based on their abilities”. To the first servant, he gives five talents. The servant takes the five talents and makes five more so that he now has ten. When the master comes back, he says, “Good work! You did your job well. From now on, be my partner.”

He gives the second servant two talents, and he doubles them as well. But the third servant, who receives one talent, takes a different course of action. He buries his money in the ground so nothing bad can happen to it. When the master returns, he is furious. He reprimands, “It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers where at least I would have gotten a little interest.” He continues to say, “Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this ‘play-it-safe’ who won’t go out on a limb.”

This does not mean that if you don’t invest your money, God will be angry with you. This does mean that we can’t have a play-it-safe mentality with life. Finances are just one of the ways that we practice trusting God. A freedom comes when we understand that He is for us and that He wants to partner with us. 

I used to always wonder why the master gave the first servant the unfaithful servant’s talent. After prayer and study, I came to realize that it is because he was a faithful steward of his master’s money. He established a bond of trust. Jesus concludes the parable by saying, “For to everyone who has, more will be given.” When we submit what we have to the Lord and steward it responsibly, He entrusts us with more.

 

God is a God of Commissioning

One of the most common questions people ask me about faith and investing is where they should invest their money. When you have enough funds to financially sow into the work that God is doing in the earth, you get the awesome responsibility of choosing where to invest your money. 

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NIV) encourages that whoever sows generously will reap generously. It goes on to say that “God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” Did you catch that? His reason for blessing us is SO THAT we can abound in every good work. If we miss that part of wealth building, we miss the whole point. God will put us (and our finances) in the direction of every good work if we ask. 

However, it’s important to do proactive research about where to invest. An estimated 70 percent of the S&P 500 (the largest public stocks in the US) violate Christian ethics. That is an alarming number, but there are still several places you can invest your money to advance Kingdom purposes! Investing is a leap of faith, but when you know God’s heart and strategy behind the purpose of wealth, you can jump into it with more confidence.

 

[Read Next: The Triple Bottom Line: Profit With a Purpose]