Investment in Wind
Devotions for Growing Christians
Investment in Wind
Can you imagine someone asking you to make a financial investment in wind? No, not wind-power as an energy source. Just the ordinary wind blowing through the trees. Of course you’d think, “That’s ridiculous! Wind has no value. Who would do something so foolish?”
But wait! Are we investing in wind without realizing it? As followers of Jesus, our future rewards in heaven are determined by how we invest on earth. If we’re not investing our time and money in eternal pursuits – we’re essentially investing in wind. Many Christians are currently buying up shares of wind in this world.
The people of Israel often invested in wind. They had so much going for them, but they repeatedly turned away from the Lord. God sent them plenty of "securities advisors," but they still made poor investment choices.
In the book of Hosea, we have a dramatic portrayal of Israel's bad investment. It’s seen as an analogy to marriage (Hosea 1-3). Hosea provided love, care, security and protection for his wife, Gomer, but she was unfaithful to him. Chapter 3 indicates that she actually sank to the level of an enslaved prostitute. Despite this, Hosea still loved her, bought her out of slavery and took her home! It’s an amazing picture of God's love and faithfulness, even when His followers are unfaithful. This picture of God is just as true today as it was in Old Testament times.
In Hosea 4-14, Israel’s unfaithfulness to the Lord is described in more detail. Picturesque figures of speech are used to vividly portray Israel's condition. God said that Israel was planting the wind (8:7), feeding on wind (12:1), and pursuing the east wind (12:1). These three “wind statements” all have important practical applications for Christians today.
Planting wind and harvesting a whirlwind
Verse 8 says, "They have planted the wind and will harvest the whirlwind.” In this verse we have two laws in view: the Law of the Harvest and the Law of Multiplication.
According to the Law of the Harvest, you harvest what you plant. If you plant wheat, you harvest wheat. If you plant weeds, you harvest weeds. The Law of the Harvest not only operates in the physical realm, but in the spiritual and moral realms as well. If you plant wind, you harvest wind. Galatians 6:7 tells us, "Don’t be misled, you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.” The people of Israel had invested their time, resources, and energy into things with no eternal benefits. The futility of their self-centered, idolatrous lifestyle is clearly pictured in the idea of "planting wind."
Is this true of us as well? Here’s a thought-provoking exercise: Make a list of all your daily activities. Now circle only the ones that will make a true difference in 25 to 50 years. Netflix, social media, and watching hours of sports would qualify as quite a bit of “wind” on the list, right? We should guard against planting too much time, energy and money on trivial pursuits. There will be little harvest in terms of our eternal well-being from these seeds, and we are to “keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts” (1 John 5:21).
The Law of Multiplication means that you get back more than you put in. Plant a bunch of tiny wheat seeds and you’ll harvest a field of wheat. Allow a few dandelion seeds to float into your yard and you’ll harvest a "golden lawn." The Law of Multiplication also holds true in the moral and spiritual realms. Plant wind and you harvest a whirlwind – or a devastating and destructive wind. If a believer persists in planting wind, his or her life could soon be destroyed. As Galatians 6:8 puts it, “Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.”
Feeding on wind
Hosea 12:12 pictures Israel as "feeding on wind.” Although Hosea's message was addressed to the northern ten tribes, it was a message for the entire nation.
What does it mean to “feed on wind”? Would you ever order a “wind sandwich?” Wind won’t satisfy your hunger or nourish your body. There are no nutrients in wind. The Israelites were feeding their souls and spirits with the winds of worldly pursuits and the words of false prophets.
That description of the nation of Israel actually sounds a lot like today’s culture, doesn’t it? There was plenty of material prosperity on the outside, but the heart of the nation was morally and spiritually bankrupt. Instead of turning to the Lord to satisfy their spiritual hunger, Israel fed on wind. They gorged themselves on the allurements of the pagan world.
Is it possible for a believer today to follow the same pattern? Of course. There are many attractive “winds” these days. And it's not just the classic “windy” traps of TV and internet. Over-involvement in sports and hobbies at the expense of spiritual health are dangerous. Studies and careers can consume enormous amounts of our time and energy, and may become destructive winds if God is left out of the picture.
Pursuing the east wind
Hosea 12:1 says that Israel pursued the east wind. The “east wind” is the dreaded sirocco that blows in from the African desert into southern Israel. It delivers scorching, devastating heat, and can spawn wildfires. It often brings along sand that can darken the skies and irritate the skin and eyes. It’s been said that such winds can reduce green crops to dry, brown husks in as little as a single day.
How was Israel pursuing the east wind? The rest of verse 1 tells us that Israel sought protection from the kings of both Assyria and Egypt. They made a peace treaty with Assyria, but at the same time they exported oil to Assyria's arch-rival, Egypt. They were playing both sides against each other. Instead of relying on God's strength for protection from pagan nations, they tried to gain security through shifty foreign policy. That was as foolish and dangerous as chasing the sirocco. Israel toyed with the very foreign powers that would ultimately destroy her. It wasn't long before Assyria swept in like the east wind and wiped out the northern kingdom of Israel.
It's easy for us to say, “How could they be so foolish? But aren't we just as foolish when we turn to anything other than God for peace and security?
Matthew 6:33 says,
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
And Philippians 4:6 tells us,
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”
Do the “investment policies” in Scripture carry enough security for us? Many of us might want to re-think our investments, and make sure that we're not pursuing the east wind.
When Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, reflected on “everything going on under the sun," he concluded that, apart from God, "it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:14).
As growing Christians, let’s be wise before the Lord, and not invest in wind.
- Dave Reid
(Updated 2022, Ron Reid)