Does God care what I invest my money in?
God cares deeply about where we invest our money. When Jesus commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, this extends to every aspect of our lives, including our finances. Our investments are a powerful tool that can influence the world’s systems, and if we invest in companies that contribute to profit from addiction, exploit the poor, or promote values contrary to our faith, we fail to honor God fully and neglect our duty to love our neighbors.
So, how can our faith guide our investment choices in practical ways?
Theological Foundations
In an earlier blog post, we discussed stewardship, or the idea that God owns all and has entrusted the earth and our neighbor to us as our responsibility and to treat with care. (Genesis 1:28, Matthew 25:14-30). Because of this foundational concept, we understand that our finances, which are so intricately interwoven with the world around us, have a direct impact on the things we have responsibility for.
The Bible also teaches that Christians should hold values, such as justice and righteousness, which guide how we care for the things entrusted to us. Once we are faithful with our worldly wealth, we can be entrusted with more heavenly wealth. (Proverbs 16:8, Luke 16:10-13).
Impact of Investments on Society
When we consider our investments, it’s important to recognize the potential they carry to either contribute to or harm the well-being of others. Every dollar we invest can become a force for good or perpetuate cycles of injustice and exploitation. For example, investing in companies that prioritize sustainable practices, fair labor, and pro-life support can foster positive change on a large scale. Conversely, investing in entities that exploit natural resources, engage in unfair labor practices, or promote abortion can lead to significant social and environmental degradation. As Christians, our call to stewardship extends to our financial decisions, urging us to carefully evaluate where our money is going and ensuring it aligns with our values of justice, compassion, and respect for all of God’s creation. By doing so, we actively participate in building a more just and equitable world, reflecting God's love and care in every investment decision we make.
Faith-Based Investing
One way to engage with God’s heart for your investments is by Faith-based investing. Faith-based investing is grounded in aligning financial decisions with one's biblical values, ensuring that your investments reflect your commitment to God’s heart of love. This approach often involves screening investments to exclude companies and sectors that contradict these values and strives to steward resources in a way that honors God and promotes societal well-being, demonstrating love for God and neighbor through responsible and impactful financial stewardship.
Practical Considerations
When investing according to your faith practices, an essential first step is to look at your current investment portfolio and ask, “How does this reflect my values?” “Am I investing in companies that positively impact the issues I care about?” However, it can often be difficult to know what companies are supporting what societal issues. This is why finding an expert to help you navigate these issues can be helpful. Pro-Life Investing can help you conduct a free Impact Report to examine your portfolio and identify how you can more closely align your portfolio with your values.
Balancing Financial Goals and Faith
While it may seem difficult to balance what is best for your financial goals with what might align most with your faith, the two are not as “at odds” as one might think. Often, investors find more internal peace and harmony as they work to align their faith and their investments. Additionally, investments for values-based investments have been shown to return similarly to non-values-based investments over time.
More than a financial strategy
Faith-driven investing is more than just a financial strategy—it's a commitment to living out our faith in every facet of life, including where we put our money. By aligning our investments with biblical principles of stewardship, justice, and love for our neighbor, we ensure that our financial decisions honor God and contribute positively to the world around us. It's about recognizing the profound impact our investments can have and making conscious choices that reflect our deepest values. So, let’s commit to evaluating our portfolios, seeking godly counsel, and staying informed. Together, we can make a difference, one investment at a time, and truly embody what it means to be faithful stewards of God's creation.