Desiring A 0% Return

The Stock Market took a big hit again today. Many people expecting their investments to make them money have been devastated. The idea of investing money in the stock market is to make money as the stock rises in value. A return for the use of your money.

If you are trying to sell your home, you may invest in some upgrades to your kitchen so that the home will sell for more money. You hope to have a guarantee that the added value to your home will be a great return on the investment in your kitchen.

Employers send employees to training classes hoping that by investing in their skills and education the return to the company will far outweigh the cost of the additional training.

Sometimes we invest time into a friendship that we hope will bring us a benefit that we desire; maybe getting a membership into a club, a connection for a job, or just the status of hanging with that particular person.

Investing in anything really is all about the return we can get. Whether it is our time or our money, we want something in return for investment.

The problem with that view is that some of the most important things we can invest in, may never bring a return that we can see. This mindset is also very inwardly focused. It is really all about YOU.

What is the number one thing we can invest in? PEOPLE.

Investing in people with the attitude that they will give us nothing in return is a totally selfless act. It is also what Jesus did. After all, the Creator of everything, needs NOTHING in return from us.

Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV)

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others

How can we invest in someone and not expect anything in return?

First, set your heart on the fact that it is NOT ALL ABOUT YOU.
Second, do it as an act of thankfulness for what you have received from God, not the person you are investing in.

Here are some examples I came up with:

Give some money to that homeless person on the street WITHOUT wondering if they are going to spend it on drugs.

Offer to tutor a struggling child in your neighborhood without charging. Better yet, go to the school in the BAD neighborhood and volunteer your time.

Go to the local nursing home and sit and chat with a lonely person who has no family.

Drop a bag of groceries off on the porch of someone you think might be struggling.

Offer to come alongside a couple who is having a hard time managing their money WITHOUT being judgmental.

Help a young mother who has multiple children clean her home.


These are just a few things we could all do with expectation of a 0% return.
Can you think of more?  Please share!

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson