“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
— Jesus [Matthew 6:19-21]
“It’s not how much of my money will I give to God, but, how much of God’s money will I keep for myself?”
— John Wesley
INVESTMENT FOMO
I’m wrapping up a series of sermons right now for a college event I’ll be speaking at in the next few weeks. As I was writing the final message, I was reminded of a story my friend told me a few years back. It’s one of those stories where you laugh because if you don’t, you’ll surely cry.
My friend grew up close with the son of a multi-billionaire. Their family owned a nationwide chain of stores most of us have probably shopped at. Back in 2012, my friend wanted to start a DJ business where he could host weddings, parties, and events. He was full of all the early optimism that comes with launching out on a new idea. After just a few years he was confident this opportunity would be a game-changer for him.
He approached his friend about possibly helping him get started. His friend was very generous, and he didn’t hesitate. He said he wasn’t interested in giving him a loan, but he’d gift him the money to launch his vision.
In a few week, they met up and his friend handed him a check for the total amount he needed to launch his DJ business off the ground. But before they parted ways, his friend very casually gave him some counsel.
“Our family’s advisors are telling us to invest in Bitcoin right now. They think it’s going to be really big. If I were you, I wouldn’t start the business, I’d just put all of this into Bitcoin and wait.”
My friend smiled, thanked him and went all in on the DJ business. He did a few gigs and a small handful of events. He made a couple thousand bucks. At the time when he told me this story, all of the equipment ended up boxed up under his stairs and was collecting dust.
What would have happened if he followed his friends advice? That investment would be worth well over $100 million today.
So what’s the point of telling you that? Sometimes people come into your life who just know more than you. They manage billions of dollars while you dream about making your DJ business a reality. They see further. They understand things you don’t yet understand. It’s almost like they’re speaking from the future because of their experience.
JESUS, THE MAN FROM THE FUTURE
I recently heard someone frame the life of Jesus this way. He spoke about how Jesus is the only person who has ever stepped into history from eternity and told us exactly how to invest our lives.
He wasn’t speculating based on market projections, world tensions, and past performance. He wasn’t making his best guess on what the future held, nor was he hedging his bets for the next big crash. He came and he spoke with complete clarity and certainty. And in Matthew 6 he gives us the clearest investment strategy you will ever hear: Don’t build your life on the things that fade. Invest in what lasts forever.
Candidly, a lot of my life right now feels like it is centered around positioning.
Positioning my family well. Thinking about compounding. Making wise financial decisions. Trying to get in early on things that will grow over time.
401Ks.
IRAs.
Real estate.
As many opportunities as I can find.
And let me be clear, none of that is wrong. But what if we approached eternity with that same level of intentionality? What if we actually believed Jesus when He said that there are treasures that cannot be destroyed? What if we lived like heaven was the ultimate compounding account?
Most of us are incredibly disciplined about investing in what might last 30–40 years…and often completely apathetic about investing in what will last forever.
THE WARNING WE KEEP IGNORING
Scripture doesn’t pull the punch on this. It warns us more than once.
The rich young ruler had everything. An invitation from the creator of the world to be a part of the forever legacy of walking with the Messiah…and walked away empty.
Solomon experienced more wealth, pleasure, and success than any of us ever will. And at the end of it all concluded it was meaningless apart from God.
He ran the experiment for all of us. He tried everything we’re tempted to chase. And at the end of it all, his conclusion was simple:
Fear God and keep His commandments. That is all that matters.
And yet, here we are still fighting the pull to build our entire lives on things that rust.
I think one of the difficulties we have is wrapping our minds around something that feels so abstract. But what if investing in eternity was more practical than we ever realized?
Here is what it may look like in your life:
- Prioritizing your relationship with God over your performance for the world
- Investing deeply in people, not just productivity
- Sharing the gospel, even when it feels uncomfortable
- Choosing integrity over advancement
- Living generously, even when it costs you
It’s not about abandoning responsibility or not planning for a future. It’s reordering priority. It’s seeking first.
Because every moment of your life is being invested somewhere. So the key question becomes: Will it last?
COMPOUNDING FAITHFULNESS
The beauty of eternal investment is that it compounds differently. You may not see the return immediately. You may not feel the impact right away. It may not be immediately impressive.
But heaven keeps perfect record. Every quiet act of obedience. Every consistent sacrifice. Every conversation that plants a seed.
Nothing is wasted.
Jesus is advising you into the greatest investment opportunity that exists. One that comes with no disclaimer, no downside, and no need to question it’s validity. And unlike Bitcoin in 2012… You don’t have to guess.
A FINAL CHARGE
So this week I hope you will zoom out. Look at your life, not just through the lens of what’s urgent, but what’s eternal. I am not saying you should liquidate your investment accounts, but what if we audited the way we were seeking to invest in the eternal?
Where are you investing your time? Your energy? Your attention?
Get in early on eternity.
Reorder your life around what actually lasts. Trust Jesus when He tells you there is reward in heaven. Because one day, you won’t wish you had more stuff, or security, or applause. You’ll know by sight and not just by faith that Jesus was telling the truth. And the ultimate investment was in that that would make it through the fire.
Invest accordingly.