I’m Todd Halberg, I’m a Christian financial advisor, I want to talk a little bit about investment today. It’s something business owners understand – farmers get it – you have to sow to get a crop. And there are things that are important in our lives, where God wants us to be sowing so that we can get a return. But, that return isn’t necessarily for us, it could well be for others.
I was sitting in church service about a year and a half ago, and our pastor said, “Today I’m going to blow up your favorite Bible verse”. That verse happened to be, “I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for good and not for evil”. And he said, “What you need to know is, that verse was not necessarily for the hearers because they were in captivity and they were going to stay there for the rest of their lives. That promise was to the next generation. And when I was hearing that, the Lord kind of just prompted me that, “This is for you too. You need to be spending more time with your kids and grandkids who happen to live far from you”. I took that to heart and started making monthly trips with my wife down to visit our kids and our grandkids. It’s born fruit. We spent endless hours playing catch, going to the swimming pool, having conversations late at night, laying in bed. Not necessarily deep stuff, but just being there for them. Showing attention, showing interest. It’s come to a point where it’s bearing fruit. They want us to be around them. The kids count the days till grandma and grandpa come back. We’ve been part of their lives. There are spaces know we can get into that parents can’t – as grandparents. That investment has paid off.
I know that as business owners there is a natural tension between just really focusing on your business all the time and taking care of your family, being there with your family, spending time with your family. Many of us have made promises about “I’ll be home at 3, honey”. And at 5 o’clock she calls up to find out where you are and you’re still at the office, and you’re gonna pack up, and you’ll be right there, and sooner or later it’s 6 o’clock and you’re still not home. I want to encourage you to be sensitive about what God says about sowing into the others around you that you’re responsible for. We all have a stewardship, we all have families to love and care for and their future is as important as our business and more. So, be sensitive to that. I’ll be praying for you that God will give you that right balance.
In fact, let’s pray now. Father, I just ask that this word would just comfort, encourage, direct those who struggle with that very thing. Trying to focus on their business, trying to invest in their careers or their jobs, and at the same time needing to divert resources to invest in the people around them. God, give us your wisdom and give us your direction. In Jesus’ name, Amen.