Investment 101 will tell you – no! That is not the financial goal to have. We know how things can go wrong – business, real estate, stocks. It is only wise to diversify your portfolio so that if the return on one asset goes down, you will still have something to give you an income. If anyone tells you anything to the contrary – their advice is suspect!

While real estate is usually touted as a sure thing, it still has its risks when it comes to investment. And so, it’s a curious story of a man lurking around on a farm, possibly minding his own business, and stumbled upon a treasure. Nothing much is told to us – what was the treasure? The mother lode of gold? An oil gusher? Or cobalt enough to rival DR Congo’s deposits? All we are told is that he looked over his shoulder to confirm no one had seen him and covered up any telltale signs of the treasure. He then put up his previously diversified portfolio in the market. He then sank all that cash into the piece of land.

Risky move – right? You only do that for a 100% sure investment. Wary Kenyan’s will be heard asking, is this another quail farming? They know how they rushed to rear quails for their miracle cure eggs and meat, expecting to come out millionaires only to be left holding fool’s gold. Beyond pyramid schemes, we have listened to brokers with their graphs and spreadsheets of projected income, basically trying to guarantee you that you cannot lose on your investment, and yet we know how things go wrong – projects overshoot on costs and time, pandemics happen – messing up international logistics, politics… at best they slow the economy and at worse bring it to a halt.

The moral in the story of the guy who sold all his possessions to buy the land is, of course, not money advice; it’s about the Ultimate Treasure. In fact, it’s specifically about Jesus – who is the treasure of all treasures; and how confidence in him leads one to sell everything they have to buy an ‘empty’ plot of land. It might seem that the good news about Jesus is hidden, but this story is followed immediately by another story that assures us that those who seek, find. The second story is about a merchant in the market, actively looking for fine pearls. He found a pearl of great value. Nothing is to say that the pearl was not in plain sight, meaning it was available to anyone and everyone. On finding it, he put everything he had in the market and bought the pearl.

Contrary to the appearance, this is actually not that risky of a move. A safe investment is one backed by an immutable guarantee. For this Ultimate Treasure, the one for which the two investors gave up everything – the guarantee is none other than the God of heaven. He guaranteed by giving up everything – his glory, his power, coming in the very form of a wee babe, dying on the cross to pay for our sins. He who did not spare his only son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, give us all things?

So, you see – He is the Ultimate treasure that we seek. You can put all your eggs in one basket, you can throw in your lot with Him; no need to hedge your portfolio. You can be confident that knowing him is of far more worth than anything you might seem to lose.

2 responses to “Put All Your Eggs in One Basket”

1. I love the way you tie Scripture directly to Kenyan life. I put all my eggs in Jesus’ basket sixty-five years ago and have no regrets for that decision.

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   • Wow! That’s a powerful testimony of God’s faithfulness. May He continue to keep you and us all who have put our trust in Him.

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