A
Spiritual 401(k)?
Matthew 6:19-21
Many
of us today put money in a retirement fund looking to the day when we
will be able to stop working and enjoy “the easy life.” We set aside a
little out of each pay check and entrust it to some institution or
investment company with a reasonable hope that in a few years our
investment will have grown enough for us to live comfortably on the rest
of our lives We are careful with our retirement money and we monitor
its performance closely. But, what about our spiritual retirement fund?
How
often do you make deposits into your spiritual account? Do you check
your balance regularly? Are you making sure you are getting the most
return for your investment? Are you at all concerned with how well
those investments are “performing”?
It
makes sense to plan for the future. Retirement is something we all look
forward to and something we must prepare for. But it is infinitely more
important to make certain we are prepared for eternity by laying up
treasures in heaven. Each good work we do in this life is recorded in
our eternal account. James Coffman reminds us, “All that one gives or
does for the kingdom of God will accrue to his eternal credit” and, “Not
even a cup of cold water will lose its reward.”
Of course
you would not benefit from giving money to a bank where you had no
account. Neither will anyone amass a spiritual treasure that does not
have an account with Christ. A lifetime of good deeds is to no avail to
the one who has never opened an account through obedience to the
gospel. It’s never too early to start planning for the future!
Thomas Sneed
Pond Church of Christ
