“Well Done!” …slowly

After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. _Matthew 25:16-19

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In my last blog I pointed out the audacity of Jesus at setting the bar for returns on investments at 100%.  Afterall, over the last 50 years the Markets have averaged a 10% return on your money per year.

However, there is one vital thing to remember, the accounts were settled “after a long time.”  Time changes everything.

Drop a few dollars in the Market on Monday and expect to be rich on Friday is a fantasy.  Drop several dollars in the Market and expect to be rich this time next year is little different.  Getting rich quickly is an illusion. 

Wealth gained quickly will dwindle away,
but the one who gathers it little by little will become rich.

Proverbs 13:11

But…

Drop a few dollars in the market paycheck after paycheck for a few years and it adds up.  Do this this for a few decades and things get really interesting. Matter of fact a 100% return – after a long time – is a slam dunk.

Let me give you two examples:

What does a onetime investment look like?  

Say you got a little windfall for your graduation or an unexpected tax refund and you invested 1000.00 in the Stock Market and forgot about it.

• In 30 years you would have over 17,000.00 (1700% return!)
• And if let it alone for another two decades you would have over 117,000.00 dollars! 

Or say you save 10.00 a week for 30 years in the Stock Market. 

• You would have invested 15,600.00.   
• Know what your return would be?  Over 98,000.00! 
• Do it for 50 years and you’d have over 750,000.00! 

“Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t pays it.”

Albert Einstein

Now, as exciting as that is, the point Jesus was making was not to give us investment advice; He was giving us Kingdom advice.

What He was demonstrating was the power of compounding when it comes to the day-in and day-out leveraging of our lives for the Kingdom.  

For example, Jesus would have been happy with a passbook savings account rate from the one-talent servant.  What made Him angry was that the servant buried his talent and did nothing with it.

The truth is, Jesus isn’t looking for super saints who are doing extra-ordinary feats like walking on water and leaping over tall buildings.  What He desires are committed servants who will day in and day out consistently serve and give and reflect His love and message where they happen to be.

Bottom line, bever underestimate the compounding effect of a good deed done in Jesus’ name and especially do not underestimate the compounding effect of a lifetime of quietly, consistently, and faithfully living out your faith. 

The ONE THING for today: Super investors in Christ’s Kingdom are not super saints, they’re just super faithful.   

Follow this link for information about compound interest

Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash