I have received a proposal to invest a minimum of a thousand dollars in order to earn ten percent a month without doing anything else. I would have to deposit my money in a Swiss account, and they say they would invest the funds in foreign currencies and then deposit the interest in an account in my country each month.
I don’t know if this is right for me in the eyes of God…
Dear Friend,
We are glad that you have shared with us this matter that makes you feel uneasy. Many people have lost a great deal of money because they haven’t asked for advice.
First of all, you say that you are not sure if this arrangement is right for you in the eyes of God. You don’t say that there is anything dishonest or illegal involved, but your doubt makes us think that there must be something about it that you feel is not quite right.
When your conscience warns you about something, it is best to stop and pay attention. Many people ignore that small voice of their conscience and later live to regret it. If there is anything about the arrangement that is secret, then it probably is not legal. And if it is not legal, it cannot be right for you or for anyone else in God’s eyes.
On the other hand, it could be that this arrangement is completely legal, and that you would have no problem reporting your earnings to the government and paying taxes on the money you receive. But even if it is legal, it is not necessarily wise. There are dishonest people in every country who would love to have your money. They will tell you anything to get their hands on what belongs to you.
A ten percent monthly return on your money would be significantly disproportionate and consequently suspect. We are not investment advisors, but we caution you to be extremely careful anytime it looks like a deal is too good to be true. You should seek the advice of someone who is trained in investments. But don’t listen to just one advisor. Always get advice from several completely different advisors, until you have found someone you learn to completely trust over several years’ time.
Ask friends to recommend advisors they have had good experience with. Talk to several before you make any decisions. If the trained advisors all agree on an investment, then probably it is safe. However, if they all advise you to invest in different ways, don’t trust any of them!
There is nothing wrong with wise investments. Jesus told the story about three men who each were given money to invest. Two invested wisely and one refused to invest at all. One of the morals of the story is that it is good and right to invest our resources when it is safe and legal. (1)
So listen to your conscience and find wise advisors!
We wish you the best,
Charles and Linda
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1 Mat 25:14‑30