Invest

(This is a prompt from the Five-Minute Friday writing group.)

This is a picture of my mom and dad on a summer day when we had a yard full of family over for a cookout and fun. It looks like Dad was playing a little baseball. Mother was tickled about something that clearly delighted her.

You might wonder what this has to do with investing and Mother’s Day. I’ll let you in on a secret – it has nothing to do with money.

Every year on Mother’s Day, I experience a bit of “mom guilt.” I question things that I’ve done or haven’t done. “Why did I do that? What was I thinking?”

But today, I thought of this picture. I looked at these two young parents paving the way for their three children. I know they had their doubts. I know they had their fears. Yet, they persevered. Every night, I heard my dad pray before they went to sleep, and we were always part of that prayer. They weren’t perfect.

But what I realize now is that the most significant investments aren’t made in bank accounts but in hearts and souls. They were there when they were tired. They were patient when we tested them. They made lasting memories sitting around the dinner table. The times we ate popcorn after church on Sunday night and watched Bonanza together. Small daily deposits that have lasting memories.

They invested in our lives a love that transcends all those fears and doubts. They showed us the better way. They showed us how to persevere even in the hardest times. They showed us who to turn to during our hardest hours. They showed us who to invest in.

They showed us Jesus.

I pray that this flawed person will make the same eternal investments in my children and grandchildren.

Ask God to show you what investments you can make to the next generation.