About 15 years ago, a gentleman named Ed Weiss came to us to help navigate his impending retirement from a long career working in the home office of a major insurance company. Like many folks, Ed and Linda had no idea where they stood with respect to having enough to do all the things they had dreamed of in retirement. One thing they did know for sure is that they wanted to be wise stewards of what the Lord had entrusted to their care. We helped this couple create a solid plan for their future that included a Biblically Responsible Investing portfolio for rolling over his retirement assets.

Not long after becoming a new client and his actual retirement commenced, Ed marched excitedly into our offices one afternoon unannounced with three framed prints in hand. I don’t quite remember if he had been cleaning out some things he long held in storage or if he had bought them at a yard sale. In any event, he decided that we should become the new owners of these prints. Mr. Weiss passed away just a few short years later. These modest prints still adorn our office walls to this day, remaining a part of his legacy and a daily reminder of why we do what we do… Thank you for the encouragement, Ed Weiss!

Be a Beacon:

Lighthouses are large towers constructed of stone, cement or wood which display a bright light (a beacon) for the purpose of guiding mariners along the seashore.  Lighthouses function in two different ways:  they either assist mariners in navigation or warn them of an impending hazard.

In a spiritual sense, Christians are to function like lighthouses.  From the Sermon on the Mount Jesus shared this illustration:

“You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hid…  Let your light so shine before man that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14,16).

Like a city set on a hill, a lighthouse can be seen for miles away.  You cannot hide a hilltop city or a lighthouse on the shore.  Our Christianity also should not be hidden or kept a secret from others.  Our lives should radiate the spirit of Christ wherever we go, in whatever we say or in whatever we do.

Let’s continue to “Shine like stars” (Philippians 2:15) and do our part to bring more light into this darkened world.  Be a lighthouse – be a beacon for Christ.

By Al Dunkleman

 

Financial Planning & Investment Advisory services offered through Beacon Wealth Consultants, Inc.