I watched a stock market analyst taking his audience through a case study. He picked a man who invested in the shares of an old generation bank in 2007. The investor put in about three hundred and seventy one thousand Naira to buy the shares. About 19 years later, the value of his investment stood at about two million nine hundred and fifty one Naira (#2,951,000.00) only. The goal of the analysis was to determine if the investment has created wealth for the investor, protected his investment, and conquered inflation. The answer was no. Adjusting for inflation, there is no real value in the man’s investment.

Investing in heaven frees us from distractions of this world. When we give to the poor, we invest in heaven…Giving for mission or any other thing that advances the kingdom of God are safe investments.

Jesus spoke about the treasures of this world, that they are prone to many dangers.  They may be destroyed by moth or preyed on by thieves. Alternatively, their values could drop as with the case under review. On the other hand, treasures laid up in heaven are beyond the reach of destructive forces that are common to earth. This is where our treasures should be. Treasures stored up in heaven are not only secured, but they also help in re-directing our focus. A man’s heart will certainly be focused where he has his investment. Investing in heaven frees us from distractions of this world. When we give to the poor, we invest in heaven. The Bible says that giving to the poor equates to lending to the Lord, and it comes with the assurance of reward. Giving for mission or any other thing that advances the kingdom of God are safe investments.