Return on Investment / 投资回报

[Dexu Xia]

Return on Investment

We have left everything to follow you! Mark 10:28

In 1995 US stock market investors received record-high returns—on average, a whopping 37.6 percent return on their dollars. Then in 2008 investors lost almost exactly as much: a negative 37.0 percent. The years between had varying returns, causing those with money in the market to wonder—sometimes with fear—what would become of their investment.

Jesus assured His followers they would have an incredible return on investing their lives in Him. They “left everything to follow [Him]”—leaving their homes, jobs, status, and families to put their lives on deposit (v. 28). But they grew concerned that their investment might not pay off after watching a wealthy man struggle with the grip worldly goods had on him. Jesus replied, however, that anyone willing to sacrifice for Him would “receive a hundred times as much in this present age . . . and in the age to come eternal life” (v. 30). That’s a far better outcome than any stock market could ever match.

We don’t have to be concerned about the “interest rate” on our spiritual investment—with God, it’s an unmatched certainty. With money, our aim is to maximize the financial gain from our investment. With God, what we get back isn’t measured in dollars and cents, but in the joy that comes from knowing Him now and forever—and sharing that joy with others!

投资回报

我们已经撇下所有的跟从祢了。-马可福音10章28节

在1995年，美国股市投资人的平均获利高达37.6%，创下历史新高。但到了2008年，投资人却惨遭高达37%的亏损。在这些年间，投资报酬率起起伏伏，使股市投资人战战兢兢，因为不知他们的投资最后会不会血本无归。

耶稣告诉跟随祂的人只管放心，把生命投资在上帝的国度里，必定会有惊人的回报率。这些人“撇下所有的”来跟从耶稣（马可福音10章28节）。他们离开家乡和亲人、放弃工作和地位，将生命投资在耶稣身上。他们看到一个有钱人，不愿意放弃财富来跟随耶稣。他们也因此关心自己撇下一切跟随耶稣会有什么回报。耶稣就对他们说，凡愿意为祂放弃一切的人，“没有不在今世得百倍的，……在来世必得永生”（30节）。如此无与伦比的投资结果，实在远胜于任何股市投资。

对于这笔“生命的投资”，我们无需担忧其报酬率，因为投资在上帝的国度里，保证会得到无可比拟的回报。投资金融市场，我们的目标是获取最大的金钱回报；但投资在上帝的国度，我们的回报便不是以金钱来衡量，我们得到的是因认识上帝的喜乐，从今时到永远。愿我们都能与人分享这份喜乐！

今天你能将什么“投资”于上帝的国度里？是你的时间、
才能或财富吗？在与耶稣的关系中，你如何得着喜乐？

为上帝而活是最有价值的投资。