More Precious Than Gold: The True Measure of Wealth

   

    This week, the news reported that the President planned to visit Fort Knox to personally verify that the U.S. still possesses all the gold it claims to have. It struck me as interesting—why would a leader need to see for himself what most of us have taken on faith our entire lives? We buy groceries, pay our bills, and conduct daily life without questioning the value of the dollar—unless, of course, we have none.

This led me to a deeper question: What is the value of my soul? If my worth could be measured in gold, how much would I be worth?

The Gold Standard of the Soul

    For those in recovery, a similar question arises: What would it take for me to drink or use again? Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, once described the journey of sobriety as being “rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had not even dreamed.” Dr. Bob Smith, his fellow co-founder, echoed a similar sentiment, warning against the pride that blinds us to spiritual truth.

These reflections lead to one conclusion: Our soul is the true gold standard. Unlike earthly riches that can be stolen or devalued, the worth of a soul remains immeasurable in the eyes of God.

Saint Augustine wrote, “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” Ralph Waldo Emerson put it another way: “If you keep your soul open, something divine will fill it.”

The scriptures reinforce this truth:

    “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21

Eternal Treasures vs. Earthly Wealth

    We live in a world that clutches desperately to material wealth, believing it provides security. But as Joseph Smith wisely taught, “A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world.” True knowledge—the knowledge of God, of His plan, of our eternal worth—is the real treasure.

    President Russell M. Nelson reaffirmed this in a recent address: “The treasures of eternity—life eternal, exaltation, joy, and peace—are ours when we choose to follow Jesus Christ and make and keep covenants with Him.”

    So, let the world count its gold and clutch it as if salvation depended on it. But as for me, I will invest in something greater. For the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. (D&C 18:10)