Baseball Card Lessons
The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out. (Proverbs 18: 15)
When I was 12 years old, I loved collecting and trading baseball cards more than just about anything. One of my most vivid memories from childhood is gleefully pulling out a Bo Jackson Future Stars rookie card from a pack of 1987 Topps. I bought the box of cards with my hard-earned snow-shovelling money. Life simply did not get any better than that.
I spent hours and hours at card shows. My friends and I traded Jim Thome, Ken Griffey Jr., and Frank Thomas cards back-and-forth endlessly. I am convinced that my time trading baseball cards sparked my interest in the stock market and investing.
As I strategized my trades and went to shows, I was convinced that my cards would make me rich. But unfortunately, the mass production of the late ‘80s made most of my collection practically worthless. As it turned out, my baseball cards were terrible investments.
The investment that I made in these cards put a “Big Hurt” on my bank account. But the knowledge and wisdom gained from the experience put a big deposit into my “maturity account.”
Use money to gain wisdom. When you learn to use it well, the rewards can compound to serve the Kingdom for long after you are gone.
Take the time to understand the tax code, ensuring you do not pay Uncle Sam any more than is necessary.
When saving for the future, take the time to research the best IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts.
When saving for college, take the time to explore 529 options.
With your charitable planning, take the time to explore donor-advised funds, qualified charitable distributions, and other strategies with your advisors.
And if all those things I just mentioned make you feel overwhelmed, find someone who can help you understand them. There’s no shame in asking for help.
When you save more, you have the ability to give more. When your money grows faster, you will be able to deploy more of it for God’s glory.
Invest in your own financial education in order to steward the funds He has entrusted you with wisely, which is exactly what I didn’t do with those baseball cards. Jesus cares about how we spend money. It is important to Him, so take the responsibility seriously.
Lord Jesus, give me the desire to educate myself so that I will be a better steward of the resources you have entrusted me to manage. Help me to use it wisely to benefit Your Kingdom and Your children.
