A couple of years ago the observer ran an article called ‘The 10 Most Important Things You Need To Know In Life’’ written by Rizwan Aseem. The article is interesting, it talks a lot about success, mainly in relationships and in making money and influence but it also has some other interesting ideas.
Over the next 10 weeks, I thought it would be fun to take Aseem’s list of 10 things you NEED to know in life and try and find a parallel for them. As a Christian bloke, I read the Bible, I try and let it guide my life and shape who I am and what matters most to me. I let the message of the Bible transform my mind and heart, passions and my priorities.
So, it seems right to be able to look at this and cobble together my version of this list and see if it holds water. I am not taking any credit for Aseem’s work here, I am just working from it and exploring it to see if as a Christian man this list makes any sense, if so why, and if not what does.
Enough already, let’s get on….
10. Compound interest is king
Ok, what on earth does this mean? Compound interest? Well, as far as I can make out this is about investment, using what you have and investing it in a way that will multiply, now this I like!
In the article, Aseem talks about eating apples, making an apple pie which can be fed to others too, or planting another tree to get loads more apples. Basically (I like basics), compound interest is interest on interest, exponential growth.
If we are talking money, and I’ll be honest, it’s the stuff I am just no good at the thought of reinvesting interest is a bit alien to me .. ‘I’ve made a bit here, spend it!’
Other people, entrepreneurial types, start a business enterprise and then don’t take a salary for years or a very small one, everything is invested back in, even the profit because multiplication is the key.
I like that, well, I don’t like doing it but I like the idea. Here’s the thing, at no. 10 in the list we are told we need to know about compound interest and use it wisely.
If you have been to Sunday school you will probably be way ahead of me here, but this got me thinking about the parable of the talents.
Matthew 25: 19-21
Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
Maybe you have read this before, the fella in this parable who received one talent and buried it because he didn’t want to get it wrong, got it in the neck. He was not rewarded, praised or thanked. Actually, rather the opposite, it was seen that he had wasted the investment; out of fear and worry to get it wrong he did nothing, big mistake.
Ok, back to us. No. 10 in our need to know list is compound interest. Of course this is focused on money but what about the gospel, what about multiplication of the good news reaching people? I like that better.
How do you invest; how do you prepare and what does your portfolio of ‘compound interest investments’ look like for the kingdom?
Share Jesus, talk about him, love people, show it, let the Holy Spirit inspire us, challenge us and direct us. I think that when we make multiplication a priority we start to discover that God is already working in this space and welcomes us in. Perhaps then we can see a subtle difference between being a Christian and a disciple. A disciple embraces no. 10, he makes disciples, multiplication matters to him.
Image Credit: Roberta Sorge
