By Steve Crawley, PhD, Executive Director • BMA Financial
Jesus gave us clear guidance in Matt. 6:19-21 (NIV): “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” That’s not just spiritual poetry — it’s a clarion call to eternal investment.
Retirement planning matters. It’s wise to steward our resources, save diligently and prepare for the future. But let’s be crystal clear: no retirement account — whether it’s your BMA America 403(b)(9) or your bank balance — can satisfy the deepest longings of your soul. As Blaise Pascal said, “there is a God-shaped vacuum in every heart that only He can fill.”
Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest man to walk the earth, ran the experiment. He tried laughter, labor, riches and pleasure. His conclusion? “…All is vanity and a striving after wind” (Eccl. 1:14 ESV). It’s like being stuck on the hedonistic treadmill — running fast but getting nowhere. Ken Blanchard once quipped, “Even if you win the rat race, you’re still a rat.”
Let’s not chase the gifts and forget the Giver — everything belongs to Him anyway. Our stewardship isn’t just financial — it’s spiritual. It’s not about how much we’ve accumulated, but how much we’ve entrusted to eternal purposes.
Here’s the bottom line: We prepare financially, yes — but we trust fully in God. Because on that Day, what matters most isn’t what we saved, but what we gave —and Who we trusted.
