Despite the fact that I think I have little or no knowledge of money matters or financial principles, I realize that I learned about the value of investing wisely at an early age.  

Take, for instance, the very first tooth I pulled from my mouth as a child….what an amazing thing. Suddenly, with little effort, the tiny tooth that had once so tightly fit into my mouth was lying in my hand. In my five-year-old mind, it was more than just a piece of bone—It was a symbol of maturity….I had entered into the world of the toothless.   

You can imagine the turmoil I felt, then, when my mother suggested I place that prized possession (my tooth) under my pillow that night in hopes that the “tooth fairy” would visit. I was resistant to the whole idea. Why should I believe that in leaving my treasure for a perfect stranger (who had to sneak in during the night, nonetheless), I would receive something of greater value in the morning?   

Of course after deliberation, I decided to give it a try. After all, I had a whole mouth full of teeth to hoard in later days should the investment I was about to make turn sour. It was an act that required faith on my part, but one that I did not regret when I found the return on my investment the next morning: a shiny new quarter!  

Obviously, I never hesitated to put a tooth under my pillow again. Who would be so foolish as to not capitalize on this deal?   

Oddly enough, there have been many times in my adult life where I have stood at a similar crossroads to that of my childhood. Letting go of what seemed to be a “treasure,” in faith that the return would be that much greater.   

As Christians, we are asked to make a similar investment…yet one of much larger magnitude and consequence. Will we hand over the pleasures and riches of this world that have been given to us in exchange for the promise of eternity with Christ? Like the many times I had to choose whether I would “invest” my teeth as a child, so we must decide each and every day if we will hand everything over to God in exchange for His “higher rate of return.”   

The dividends of this investment may not appear as quickly as the next morning, but we are promised the fullness of this return in God’s perfect timing. 

—Emily A. Vermilya

“`Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions,’” (Luke 12:15 NIV).