Savvy Investment Strategies

This blog post is Part 1 of a series entitled, "Give to Grow More" by Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith of Donelson First in Nashville, TN. 

Message Date: July 17, 2022

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What gives me the most joy in life?

I’m not referring to my spouse, my kids, or my family. Of course, Amy, Bailey, and Brynnan bring me joy, unlike anything I’ve ever known. I love them, I love living my life to serve them and make them happy, and help them feel complete. And I’m sure you feel the same way about your family and those whom you love and do life with.  

But in answering this question, I want you to set aside the thoughts of the people in your life and I want you to think more about the things you do in life that give you the most joy.  

Does giving give me joy?  

Do you experience joy?

I don’t know that I’ve ever shared this with you all from the stage, but I experience tremendous joy when I give.  

Giving examples:

• Dining out & giving a good tip.
• Meeting people and giving of my time to listen as they talk about life, marriage, a career, family, etc.

Giving gives me tremendous joy.  

I think of all the things for which I hope to be remembered, I hope on this list I will be remembered as a generous person.   

I encourage you to prayerfully consider what giving should look like for your family. Think about the “why” behind your giving. AND, do you find JOY in your giving? 

I first want to establish 5 Foundational Principles for Giving to Grow More.

1. Giving is investing.

I want you to view giving as investing. As givers, we investors - investors in the future in one way or the other.

2. Giving isn’t solely about money.

There are countless ways you and I can give. Most of the ways in which you give have nothing to do with the green – your finances.

3. Giving isn’t about getting.

I should never give with the driving intention to be: “What can I get in return?” Though…when I do give, I do get.

4. Giving is a mirror of my heart.

Scripture will prove this to us today.

5. Giving is something I do.

You give. We all give. The question isn’t, “Do I give?”  The question is “To what/who do I give?”    

In the NT book of Matthew, we read the greatest sermon ever given. It covers 3 chapters in the first book of the NT. In this powerful message, Jesus talks about murder, adultery, divorce, making promises, loving one another’s enemies, fasting, and much, much more. About halfway through this sermon, Jesus shifts. His shift isn’t coincidental. His shift isn’t a sugar-coating of words.

No! Very directly, in Matthew 6, Jesus discusses giving:

Matthew 6:19-24  

Jesus leaves no question about His intentions, does He? Jesus is clear. Jesus is concise. And His words are convicting. His words can also be misunderstood if not considered correctly.  

Jesus doesn’t mean that one should never save his/her money. He doesn’t mean that one should not invest or save or plan for retirement.  

Money is a critical part of our lives. We have to have it to live, pay bills, enjoy some Cinco de Mayo, and yes, it is important to plan for retirement. Money, saving, investing – important!   

So, what are we to take from these words? Well, perspective is critical here.          

1. Be investment savvy.  

You know what savvy means, right? This is a great word to learn to use.

savvy = practical knowledge; the ability to make good judgment  

Jesus pivots mid-message in Matthew 6 to discuss investing. Though He never uses the word “investing,” He casts an important philosophy for all to follow as it relates to our investment strategy.  

Matthew 6:19-21

Jesus is saying: “Be savvy in how & where you store your investment, or treasure.”

Store (greek) = to hoard; to incessantly guard  

Do you know a hoarder? Are you a hoarder? You know who you are!

Jesus details 2 giving options as it relates to your “treasures”:  

treasures on earth = anything material, momentary + me focused - This can be stuff; anything that gives me instant gratification, sustains my lust, or strokes my pride.  

treasures in heaven = anything good, generous + God focused - A gift, an action or deed of generosity.  

Most of us, particularly of adult age, have spent time “storing!” - Looking at, thinking through & strategizing over personal investments and retirement. - There is nothing wrong with this.  

Jesus is calling us to the same investment approach when it comes to things of eternal value!  

Notice the two points Jesus makes in relation to eternal savvy investing:

I invest savvy when I:

1. Do not store up (hoard + incessantly guard) treasures on earth.  

When I hoard or incessantly guard my investments to the point that they take precedence and priority over investing in the things of eternal value, I miss the mark.    

2. Do store up (hoard + incessantly guard) treasures in heaven.  

1 John 2:17: The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.  

A good friend of mine is a VP of a global investment company. He spends his days looking at the stock market, reading trade analysis, buying, selling, speaking with other investors, strategizing, maybe even taking a gamble on a penny stock from time to time, and on and on… He understands the market. He’s told me that he doesn’t always get it right and that he’s lost more money than he’s willing to admit. But investing in his life. He lives it. He breathes it. And he loves it.

I want to be investment savvy for things of eternal value.  

I want to be a Christ-follower who lives, breaths, strategies, and invests like a VP investor for those things of eternal value. Do you?    

2. Maintain healthy eyes.  

Look again at Matthew 6:22-23  

How interesting that while talking of how you and I manage our investments and store up our treasures, Jesus again shifts and speaks, of all things, of one’s eyes.  

Why the “eyes?”  

Because isn’t it often our “eyes” that entices our decisions? - I see something. I want it. I buy it. - I see what someone else has. I want what they want – I want the life they have – I want the stuff they have. I spend the green.  

We know this to be true as it relates to TV commercials and pop-up ads on our mobile devices due to research over the WTP margin. Do you know what this is? It’s an acronym used by those within the advertising world:  

WTP = willingness to purchase  

A consumer’s WTP (willingness to purchase):

• Increases 6%+ when viewing a commercial/ad for said product 1x.
• Increases 18%+ when viewing a commercial/ad for said product 3x.
• Increases 27%+ when viewing a commercial/ad for said product 6+x.  

This is why we often see the same commercials over and again while watching our favorite TV show(s) or sporting event. Mcdonald's understands this…Target, Apple, the automobile, & alcohol industry, to name a few.

Matthew 6:22: The eye is the lamp of the body.  

What does this mean? - - Simply: the eye lights the way for the body to follow. The eye lets in light and thus illuminates the entirety of the body. 

An eye focused on earthy treasures guides the body to store up that which is material, momentary + me focused. An eye focused on heavenly treasures guides the body to store up that which is good, generous + God focused.  

If you were to take a spiritual eye examination today, how would you score? Would your score reveal eyes focused more on earthly treasures thus guiding your body to “store up” that which is material, momentary and me-focused? Or, would your score reveal eyes focused more on heavenly treasures guiding your body to “store up” that which is good, generous and God-focused?  

Notice the comparison of the healthy versus the unhealthy eyes.  

What does Jesus mean when saying we are to have “healthy” eyes rather than “unhealthy” eyes? Well, these 2 words in Greek are not referring to one’s physical health, as you might imagine.   

unhealthy (greek) = stingy

healthy (greek) = generous  

A barometer of my eye health is the degree to which I store treasures in heaven more than on earth.    

In this mini message here in Matthew 6, we hear 3 times the Savior of the world make comparisons as it relates to our investment of treasures:

1.  The comparison of storing up treasures on earth as opposed to storing up treasures in heaven.
2. The comparison of healthy eyes to unhealthy eyes. And then… 
3. The comparison of serving two masters either God or money.  

Look at: Matthew 6:24    

3. Choose my Master.

Matthew 6:24

A slave cannot serve two masters.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I am forced to decide who my Master will be: God or money.

The word money in Greek does not merely mean cash.  

Mamona (greek) = material possessions as idols

Jesus is saying, “If you are obsessed with your material possessions – your money, your earthly investments, your house, your car…you are a slave to such idols!”  

Any idea, other than God, what is the most referenced topic in the Bible?  This might surprise you! Other than God, the most referenced topic in the bible is: the poor! 

Providing for the poor is referenced more than 3,000 times in the Old & New Testaments.  

The second most referenced topic in the Bible: is money! Money is referenced more than 800 times throughout the Bible.

Some in the Church want to dance around the subject of money. No dancing here Donelson First. Well, actually that’s not fully true. I can put on my parachute pants, bring back the 80s, and pop & lock with the best. New kids on the block…let’s go!  

Seriously, there is this notion in the church that we are to rarely talk about money. But I don’t see that such a concept is biblical. More than 800 times in the Bible are passages highlighting money.

God doesn’t have a problem talking about money. Neither should the Church.  

One way the enemy has been successful is at convincing us to not discuss our finances, not speak about them, preach about them, and create this air of secrecy and awkwardness when it comes to discussing money. But in reality, the issue of how you and I choose to store up our investment, our money, is exceedingly imperative to God. As a matter of fact, Jesus says this is so important that it is a matter of the heart.

Matthew 6:21      

4. Check my heart.  

treasure (greek) = storehouse  

So, Jesus really makes this simple for us, doesn’t He?!  

Do a quick “storehouse” inventory and answer this question:

Will my treasures produce a return on my investment of eternal value?  

Remember, Foundational Giving Principle #1: Giving is investing. Jesus is saying: Giving to produce a return on my investments of eternal value begins with my heart.

A friend of mine visited with me this week in my office and shared that his daughter has started working, is trying to get going on her own, and just finds it difficult to give to the church each month because things are just so tight. And I get it. I completely understand. If this is you, I want to encourage you to just simply begin praying:  

“Lord, give me a heart that treasures what you treasure.”  

Jesus says here in Matthew 6:21 that my treasures reflect my heart.  

What I treasure most, I give to the most.  

So begin praying: Lord, give me a heart the treasures what you treasure. I am confident that if you begin praying this prayer…God won’t merely change what I treasure. No! He instead will begin to change my heart. Once this happens, what I treasure will be what God treasures. And then my heart will become more like the heart of God.  

This will happen. I truly believe it will!

I want to address another quick thought with you: When I became pastor here, I had several pastor friends tell me, “Jeffrey be careful. One thing you don’t want to do is upset the ones who tithe. Because they’ll stop tithing.” 

Choosing to give or not has nothing to do with my pastor. Choosing to give or not has everything to do with my heart.   Giving is a true indicator of my heart. Period.  

How do I check my heart? Well, as always, look at what Scripture says on the matter.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth about this very issue of investing - - of giving. The church at Corinth was dealing with several issues and Paul wanted to make it clear that the church understood the importance of investing treasures in the things that matter most.  

2 Corinthians 9:6-8  

A giving heart:

1. A giving heart believes I will grow when I give.

2 Corinthians 9:6

I will really not grow spiritually if I do not give generously! Do you see this?

If I “sow sparingly,” I will “reap sparingly.”  

But, based on this passage the opposite is also true: I will grow when I give.  

At Donelson First, we take God at his word! If God says it, it’s true! And, if we do what God’s Word asks us to do, these promises will become true in our lives! - So take God at His Word!

2. A giving heart decides what to give.

2 Corinthians 9:7 

This passage does NOT say: “Decide if I will give!” - The decision isn’t “if.” Rather it is “Decide what I will give.” So to the one struggling with giving, or for the one not yet convinced that you can afford to give, this is a great passage for you to begin praying now. Now!  

Pray: “Lord, I want to give. I’m not sure if I can afford to give. Give me the confidence to trust you as I begin storing up treasures in heaven. And, as I begin to give generously, I pray that I too reap generously.”  

3. A giving heart chooses to give cheerfully.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Paul mentions three attributes for giving in this one verse:

First, he challenges the Church to have the right motivation for giving, not doing so reluctantly.  

Secondly, he says we should not give out of necessity. Just as we should not withhold what we give out of anger or resentment toward someone, we too should not give out of necessity. We should not give to please a person, or to stroke our own backs. We give to please God.  

Third, Paul addresses the positive motive we should have as we choose to give:

2 Corinthians 9:7 “…for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Cheerful (greek) = hilarious

 Interestingly, the Greek word cheerful is only used one time in the entirety of the Bible. And that one time is right here in 2 Corinthians 9:7 when we are challenged to be investors, givers, who give with hearts that are cheerful.  

Paul is saying that our giving should bring so much cheer to our lives that it is as if we are hilariously amused with joy & excitement & belly-shake laughs when we invest!  

Some of you have been faithful givers for many years. Some have given here and there but would not define your giving as consistent. Some have never given for a variety of reasons.  

Wherever you are as a giver, giving should never be something that becomes casual. It’s a part of our lives as Christ followers that should constantly be in motion and reverently and consistently presented to God as we ask: “What do you desire from me as a giver?”

1. Pray. - No matter my giving history…pray: “What do you desire from me as a giver?”  

2. Give. - Continue, or just begin.

3. Trust. - Trust that as you obediently follow the leading of the Lord, you will over and again Give to Grow More and you will do so as you see:

2 Corinthians 9:8: God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 

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Jeffrey Dean Smith is a husband, father to Bailey & Brynnan, author, and the Senior Pastor at Donelson First in Nashville, TN. If you are in Music City, meet Jeffrey and enjoy iced tea on the front lawn each Sunday at 10:30a.