The other day I received an email message from Nigeria stating that I had been selected to aid in the transfer of $8 million from a Nigerian bank to one in the US To provide for this transfer I would receive 20%, or $1.6 million. All I had to do was give them the location of my bank and my account number. This was an obvious scam designed to give them access to my account so they could withdraw funds. such as they are. I did not fall for their offer, but it did give me food for thought. What would I do with $1 million cash? To answer this question I consulted an investment counselor. His advice was to put the money in a variety of investments called a diversified portfolio.
A portfolio can include stocks, bonds, real estates, US Treasury notes, CD's, etc. There are high yield, high risk investments, and there are low yield, low risk ones. Perhaps the safest investments are offered by the US government. The reliability of municipal and utility bonds are rated according to the financial condition of the issuing organization. Some investments are short term such as CD's and treasury notes while others such as bonds and mortgages can mature over a period of many years. Investment in real estate usually is based on the monthly income as in the case of a rental or commercial property or the prospect of increasing value. Sometimes a negative cash flow can be tolerated if there is a prospect of an increase in the value of the property. Location and inflation are critical factors in this projected increase.
So, the investment game can be a gamble, and there is a constant tension between security and profit. Perhaps the riskiest investment of all is gambling because in most games, whether slot machines, wheels of fortune, craps, or various card games, the odds are against one winning. Millions invest in the lottery with the promise of great and sudden wealth, but the odds against winning are millions to one. Generally speaking, gambling is a losing proposition.
When the rich young ruler came to Christ to ask the way to salvation, he no doubt felt quite secure in his financial condition, and he probably had a well diversified portfolio. However, he needed assurance of something more important than financial security, namely eternal life. Jesus told him that his investments were in the wrong place, that he needed to liquidate his holdings and deposit the proceeds in a safer institution, a place that was safe from the vicissitudes and uncertainties of life. We have been given the same message today; we are told to invest in the bank of heaven where there is not only perfect security but also an eternal reward, which makes it the safest and "the longest term investment."
