What Even IS Investing, and Why Does It Matter for Me?

Speaker A00:00:00

I got this question the other day in the email and I thought this was perfect way to launch our new series on investing. Ralph, investing feels like it's just for rich people, like some Wall street secret club. Does it even matter to me?And I thought that was a great question because so many people have this myth about investment. Like you have to be in some, you know, highfalutin Wall street crowd. Maybe you're feeling that too. Maybe you're listening right now.You're like, ralph, I feel the exact same way. Like investing is out of reach, something for them, but not for you. But here's the truth. Investing isn't just for the wealthy.So many people get hung up on that. Well, I've got to have thousands and millions of dollars. That's just not true.It's one of the most powerful tools that God has given you to really steward your money wisely and to build a future filled with peace and purpose.Well, let's talk about getting started in investing and how you can build that future of peace and purpose, all while stewarding what God has given you. That's we're going to talk about on today's show.

Speaker B00:01:00

This is Financially Confident Christian, your daily dose of gospel, grounded insight and faith driven tips to help you break the cycle of financial shame with confidence.

Speaker A00:01:11

Hello there. Welcome to Financially Confident Christian. I'm super excited as we launch a brand new series for the next 30 days on investing. Today's question.A lot of people say this to me that Ralph, investing is for those wealthy people. It's for those people who've got all that bags of money. Let me tell you right now, I don't have bags of money.And I bet you're listening right now, you probably don't have bags of money either. And I used to think investing was super complicated.I remember when I was a sophomore in college at the University of Delaware, I had to take this investments class and man, I thought this stuff was super complicated. And to be totally honest with you, the professor made it more complicated.Charts and jargon, all kinds of big words and brokers wearing suits like the typical movie Wall Street. But over time, I learned something very valuable. Investing is not that complicated. It's really not. It's just a way to put your money to work for you.You don't have to carry all that weight for yourself. That's really what it's come. It's kind of like a backpack.You put those things in the backpack, you throw it on your shoulder so you're not carrying these bundles of Things, that's really all investing is. It's no more complicated than that. And not forget when I was young in my career, I worked with this young couple. And I remember them coming in to me.They were just coming to get their taxes done. At the time I used to just do mostly focused on tax work.And this young couple came in and I don't think they had been married six months, whatever it was. They're young couple just starting out in their career. And one of the things I always like to ask them is, do you have any investments?I needed to have that information so I could do their tax return. And he said, oh, no, you know, we're just getting started, Ralph. We don't have any investments. We're too small to invest.And I said to them, no, wait a second, don't think like that. And I don't want you to think like that. If you're listening right now, there's never too small amount.Now these big investment houses will tell you, well, don't call us unless you've got a hundred thousand dollars worth of money. That's great, that's for them. But this couple, I remember at the end of the meeting, they said, ralph, would you help us with this?I said, absolutely. Now, I don't make investment decisions, but I can put you in touch with a broker. But you can start with something as simple as $50 a month.Well, guess what? They took the bait. That's what they did. They started with just $50 a month. And I remember year after year they would come in and they were so proud.They'd bring in their investment statement and this thing just grew and grew and grew. And I remember each year they'd say, wow, I can't believe it grew that much. Just $50 a month, Ralph. And the truth is, small steps matter.And see, investing is not more complicated than that. It's just putting your money to work for you. So many people get intimidated by investing.Maybe you're sitting there right now, you're like, Ralph, I. I don't even understand a bit of investments. Well, this series is going to be for you because we're going to break it all down piece by piece.We're going to talk about stocks, we're going to talk about bonds, but I'm going to make it super simple because guess what? It's not that complicated. Let's get right into scripture. I found this from the Book of Matthew, chapter 25, verse 14.And it says this again, it will be like a man going on a journey who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. See, that's what God has done. I've said this on the show many times. What you have is not yours. God has entrusted you to do it.Just like in the Book of Matthew, the parable that Jesus talked about. The wealthy landowner had given each of them money to invest. He entrusted them with wealth. Well, the Lord's entrusted you with the same thing.He's entrusted you with his resources. And we're called to grow them, not to bury him in some backyard can in the middle of the yard. And that's what investments do. And here's the problem.The reason that investing matters is because if you don't do anything with it, if you just bury it in the backyard, my grandfather used to say it's like burying it in an old coffee can in the backyard. Well, first of all, the money's gonna break down. It's gonna get moisture and maybe get some worms in it.But investing matters because money loses value over time. Because what do we have? We have inflation. Not for today's show, but inflation erodes the value of that money. But when you invest it, you protect it.And, hey, look, my young couple Learned, even at $50 a month, that investment multiplies. And a lot of people who are Christians say, oh, wait a minute, Ralph. You're talking about investing, man. That's greed.You're talking about how to get the most. Like this Wall street guy. They have this picture that these people are, you know, doing all kinds of crazy stuff to get greedy about stuff.But that's not at all what I'm talking about. Investments aren't about greed. It's about stewardship. And scripture calls us a stewardship. Look at the Book of Luke, chapter 16 ver. It says this.And I've used this on this show a million times because this is the most important thing to remember. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.If God's given you just a little bit, you might be looking right, Ralph, I am the definition of God's given me a little bit. But guess what? God has trusted you with that. If you want him to trust with more, you've got to understand how to faithfully grow.That, like my young couple Learned, even at $50, with those small beginnings, you don't need wealth to start investing. So many people think, well, I've got to have hundreds and thousands of dollars. No, that's not at all what you need.You just need a little wisdom, and you need a willingness to begin so that's my action step for today. Have that wisdom and have a willingness to begin because you can do this. Trust me. I have confidence in you. How about we pray together?Lord, we just thank you for the resources you placed in our hands. Help us to steward them wisely, Lord. Give my friend courage right now as they're listening to begin even with those small amounts, Lord.Show them how to multiply faithfulness over time, Lord, and to have the courage and the strength to do that, Lord. Grant them the wisdom to make wise choices in those investments. We ask this in confidence in Jesus name. Amen. Friend. Investing is for you.It's not for them. It's not this we, them mentality. It's for you.And as we talk about this tomorrow, we're gonna jump and talk about stocks, what they are and how they really work, because a lot of people do not understand. I got a great question to talk about tomorrow from a listener that said, ralph, just what are stocks? I don't understand it at all.Make sure you join me tomorrow because I'm gonna break down what a stock really is. And here's a spoiler alert. It's not that complicated.And if today's episode has given you some clarity about investment, you're like, Ralph, this is cool. I can actually be an investment person. I'm gonna encourage you right now. Share with somebody else who thinks that investing is out of reach.Somebody who thinks that. Oh, that's just for the we. That's not something for me with just meager things to have. Send them to our website.You can send him an email, send him a text and just say, hey, Ralph, Ralph's talking about investments. This is a show you don't want to miss. Send them to financiallyconfidentchristian.com Again, that's financiallyconfidentchristian.com.and hey, maybe you're listening right now and you're like, ralph, I've got a specific question about investments, and I would love to have the answer because I've looked all over the Internet and I can't find an answer. And you know, Ralph, you're always one to just get it down into the details that I can understand. Well, I would love to hear your question.Just send it to justaskralph.com Again, that's justaskralph.com. just put your name in your question. And guess what? I'll feature your question on a future show. And here's another thing.I want to give you something for free even as we start this new investing.I finished my third book, and I've been talking about this for a little bit, but I'm still giving free copies of my book away because I want you to become a financially confident Christian. And I've got a guidebook to help you do just that.For 30 years, I've worked with people just like you who are trying to break that cycle of financial shame and do it with confidence. Well, get a copy of my book. You can download it for free.Just go to financiallyconfidentchristian.com/Becoming again, that's financiallyconfidentchristian.com/Becoming. Go to the website, enter your name and your email address, and voila, you'll have a free copy of my book.And hey, share that with as many people as you want, because I want people to gain that confidence and I want them to break free of the financial shame that they feel because there's no financial shame in investing. So today I want to encourage you. Walk in wisdom. You have wisdom. Have confidence in yourself, because I sure have confidence in you.And more importantly than that, God is with you. So go out there today and be that financially confident Christian that I know you can be. Stay financially savvy. God bless you.And you have a great day today.