Be Very Careful: Pick the Best Long-Term Investments

Almost every week I see advice on Seeking Alpha, in the Wall Street Journal, and publications like Barron’s for the best investments. The authors are encouraging their readers to pick the recommended investments because they anticipate a very good ROI (Return on Investment.)

Return on Investment (ROI) is a financial metric used to evaluate the profitability of an investment by comparing the net profit to the initial cost. It is typically expressed as a percentage and helps investors assess the efficiency of their investments. If the ROI is negative, you lost money. If it is positive, you may have a gain, but it might not be as grand as you had hoped.

The problem with long-term investing is that our lives tend to last no more than 70-80 years. So, while that may be a long time for some of us, in light of eternity it is a very short-term opportunity.

A Loosing Long-Term Investment

When you buy an investment there is an exchange. The investor exchanges something for something else. Most of the time you exchange cash for something that will provide a better ROI. Sadly, many do a different kind of exchange that results in a very long-term, unending, irreversible, catastrophic loss. The exchange is a spiritual one. It is exchanging (suppressing) truth for lies. It is exchanging God for things that are unable to save or result in any good long-term ROI. It is worshipping things that don’t last and that cannot satisfy or save.

The Apostle Paul talks about this foolish exchange in the first chapter of his letter to the church in Rome:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. – Romans 1:18-25

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” Romans 1:18-25

The end: the wrath of God that will never end. That is a very poor choice.

The incomparable Negative ROI

Jesus also helped with the picking dilemma: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” – Matthew 16:26 The ROI equation is regarding what a man will give in return for his everlasting soul.

I often wonder if the people who read my blog are so focused on the 70-80 years of their retirement investing timeline that they fail to pick the right long-term investment that is for the good of their souls. I realize that some don’t even like my recommendations for the short-term. That is just fine with me. There is nothing of eternal significance about any of them.

However, to neglect the truth and pick the wrong God is a huge mistake. There is only one true God and there is only one Savior.

How to Identify a Follower of Jesus

A follower of Jesus has chosen the correct High Priest. Then they hold fast to him.

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:14-16

Five Minute Friday

This post is part of the weekly Five-Minute Friday link-up.

All scripture passages are from the English Standard Version except as otherwise noted.