What Is Truly Valuable?

“Many of them lead lives of emptiness, cannot hold a job, have no lasting relationships and move aimlessly from place to place in an isolated orbit​—and no one cares. The reason: They are extremely rich.”​—The New York Times, May 15, 1984.

YOU well know that money is needed to obtain food, clothing, shelter, transportation, medical aid, and other essentials for life. In fact, you probably realize that in modern society it would be difficult to live without money, for, as the Bible says, “money is what meets a response in all things.”​—Ecclesiastes 10:19.

Yet, the newspaper article quoted above dealt with the emotional problems of the rich. Clearly, there would be a danger in centering your life on acquiring money and possessions. Still, many people do it. At times, greedy ambition is fatal. We hear of hard-driving men in their 30’s and 40’s dying of a heart attack. Some of these risked their health, even their lives, to fulfill their ambitions involving money. We do not have to be deeply religious to agree that it would have been better if they had taken to heart Jesus Christ’s words: “What benefit will it be to a man if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul? or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”​—Matthew 16:26.

What Is of Real Value?

You certainly know that there is no end of things that we might be tempted to seek. A video tape recorder, a private home, expensive sports equipment​—in some lands these are items to reach for. Elsewhere the goal may be of more limited value. A young woman in one land prostituted herself to get money for nicer clothes.

While we may realize that there are dangers associated with a purely materialistic approach to life, how can we protect ourselves? Must we turn our back on society, becoming recluses or hermits as some have done? Also, when considering what is truly valuable, we should ask, What will bring me genuine happiness and contentment in the long run?

As an aid, let us consider the example of a man who for centuries has been respected and admired as a role model. He was a rabbinical lawyer and part of a first-century Jewish sect noted for being “money lovers.” (Luke 16:14) His name was Paul, and he had the education and the needed drive to accumulate wealth and to gain ever greater status in the community.

However, through a shocking experience, he discerned that something quite different was actually of utmost value in life. Whether you presently are of the same mind or not, it is worth your while to reflect on what Paul concluded.

He determined that the primary thing of value in life was an approved standing with God as a disciple of Jesus. This was so valuable that Paul, as an apostle of Jesus, was able to endure hardships and persecutions. He was like an earlier man of renown, Moses, who “esteemed the reproach of the Christ as riches greater than the treasures of Egypt.”​—Hebrews 11:26; 2 Corinthians 11:23-27.

You should also know that Paul never regretted that becoming a Christian apostle had resulted in loss of prominence in Jewish society. After having enjoyed about 25 years as a devoted Christian, he wrote: “What things were gains to me, these I have considered loss on account of the Christ. Why, for that matter, I do indeed also consider all things to be loss on account of the excelling value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. On account of him I have taken the loss of all things and I consider them as a lot of refuse, that I may gain Christ and be found in union with him.” (Philippians 3:7-9) You will have to agree that Paul was convinced that he had gained something truly valuable.

Paul’s choice did not mean that he no longer had any material things. Reflect, for instance, on his words: “In everything and in all circumstances I have learned the secret of both how to be full and how to hunger, both how to have an abundance and how to suffer want.”​—Philippians 4:12.

Whatever your situation is regarding Christianity, likely you can see how fine the outcome was for Paul. His choice as to what is valuable brought him a contentment that escapes the world’s richest men and women. Jean Paul Getty, the millionaire oilman, confessed: “Money doesn’t necessarily have any connection with happiness. Maybe with unhappiness.”

Yet, a person might claim to be a Christian and still fail to recognize what is most valuable. That was true in the first century, for Paul said of one associate: “Demas has forsaken me because he loved the present system of things.” (2 Timothy 4:10) At a time when he could have helped the imprisoned apostle, Demas gave up, preferring what the present system offered him.

Pointing to the grave danger into which a materialistic view could put a Christian, Paul stated: “Those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires, which plunge men into destruction and ruin. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have . . . stabbed themselves all over with many pains.”​—1 Timothy 6:9, 10.

You might well ask, then, What role should money or possessions play in my life? Let us examine the matter further to see how you can possess what is truly valuable.

Your Hope​—God or Riches?

“For years she cowered in her fancy house surrounded by a chain link fence and sealed off by two locked iron gates.”

A NEWS report thus described a wealthy widow who had died at the hand of robbers who stole jewelry and $1 million from her house. After her body was found, the police used a grocery cart to take another $5 million in cash out of her home. The police also found thousands of “birthday gifts” with attached cards addressed “To Jesus Christ” and “To God.”

This heiress seemed to have no friends, and she lived in constant fear. Ask yourself, How truly valuable were the millions that she so highly valued? Moreover, How rich was she toward God? You certainly know that God cannot be won with “birthday gifts,” nor does the peace of God result from the possession of riches. That can be seen from the Bible’s counsel that we ‘rest our hope, not on uncertain riches, but on God, who furnishes us all things richly for our enjoyment.’​—1 Timothy 6:17.

Why are riches so uncertain? Well, you probably know how true Jesus’ words are: “Stop storing up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19) As you realize, there is always the danger that fire will consume a home. Some people store their valuables in banks, but have not robbers stolen from these too? Even a new car will rust.

What about the economy of the nations? In many lands inflation is like a thief; it reduces a person’s assets. “After hyperinflation struck Germany during the early 1920’s, shoppers needed baskets of currency . . . to buy groceries . . . Prices in Germany increased more than 1 trillion per cent from August 1922 to November 1923.” (The World Book Encyclopedia) How disappointing trust in money can be!

Jesus wisely advised: “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:20) What are these “treasures”? They constitute our individual record of fine works, our being rich toward God. ‘What,’ you may ask, ‘does that require of me?’ In part, the Bible answers that it means “to work at good, to be rich in fine works, to be liberal, ready to share.”​—1 Timothy 6:18.

Around the earth today, there are millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses who can honestly testify that sharing spiritual and material things with others​—particularly helping people to learn about the Kingdom hope by engaging in preaching, teaching, and disciple-making activities—​are fine works that have Jehovah’s approval and that bring real satisfaction. Not even death can rob a person of the rewards that such laying up of treasures in heaven brings. Why is that so? Jesus promised: “I am the resurrection and the life. He that exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life.”​—John 11:25.

Priceless Treasures We Can Enjoy Now

After saying that we should rest our hope “on God,” Paul continues that it is ‘God who furnishes us all things richly for our enjoyment.’ (1 Timothy 6:17) Besides the daily necessities of life, the Most High lovingly provides priceless treasures for those people whom he approves. What are such treasures?

Note what Proverbs 3:13-18 says: “Happy is the man that has found wisdom, and the man that gets discernment, for having it as gain is better than having silver as gain and having it as produce than gold itself. It is more precious than corals, and all other delights of yours cannot be made equal to it. Length of days is in its right hand; in its left hand there are riches and glory. . . . It is a tree of life to those taking hold of it, and those keeping fast hold of it are to be called happy.” So “wisdom” is a treasure that surpasses the value of all the world’s riches.

Wisdom is the application of knowledge in the right way. It is the ability to use knowledge and understanding successfully to solve problems, to avoid, or avert, dangers, to attain certain goals or to help others to do so. Do you not agree that today we need such wisdom in order to deal with life’s trials successfully and to maintain a good standing with God?

In describing wisdom, Proverbs 3:13-18 highlights happiness. Is happiness not a treasure that all of us desire? Godly wisdom will give us this happiness because true happiness can come only from its Source, Jehovah God. Experience has proved that true happiness cannot be attained apart from obedience to the Most High and yielding to the operation of his spirit. The happinesses promised in the Bible depend on our proper relationship, or approved standing, with our heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:3-10) Therefore, by applying what we learn from study of the Bible, we will be displaying “the wisdom from above” that will give us the happiness that all the riches in the world cannot procure.

Recall also, though, that Proverbs 3:16 states: “Length of days is in its right hand.” This is understood to refer to the right hand of protection, the hand that is ready to help and safeguard a person at critical times. Today many engage in loose living, sexual immorality, drug abuse, and so forth. Likely you have read that AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is linked to such practices. From what you have observed, are people who practice those things truly happy? Or do they bring upon themselves and others much sorrow and pain, even death?

In contrast, the application of the wise counsel from God’s Word will always be at our “right hand” to protect us from such dangers. Therefore, wisdom can lengthen our life, guarding us from a course that would lead to a premature death. Thus, godly wisdom is certain to make our present life a more pleasant one.

Walk Wisely Now

The evidence all around us shows that we are living in “the last days” of this system of things. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Hence, it is vital that we be on guard against succumbing to the spirit of the world. Such a spirit emphasizes material things by appealing to selfish desires. One charge brought up concerning Job, a faithful man of Bible record, was that this man served God for selfish considerations, for material gain. (Job 1:9-11) Could such a charge truthfully be brought against us?

If we answer no, we might be successfully resisting today’s materialism. But this danger, materialism, is one of the most subtle that we face. Jesus Christ said that “the anxiety of this system of things and the deceptive power of riches choke the word.” (Matthew 13:22) Clearly, we must constantly be on guard against “the deceptive power of riches,” for these are not truly valuable.

We need to remind ourselves of the relative worth of material things. God’s Word says: “The valuable things of the rich are his strong town, and they are like a protective wall in his imagination.” (Proverbs 18:11) Yes, the security that riches can provide is sheer imagination, a deception. It is not that the material things in themselves are bad. What is wrong is the centering of our lives around them rather than on gaining God’s approval. Jesus, who is recognized as one of history’s wisest teachers, pointedly said: “Even when a person has an abundance his life does not result from the things he possesses.”​—Luke 12:15.

So let us pursue a course in life that will make us “rich toward God.” (Luke 12:21) Nothing is more valuable than an approved standing with the Creator. All efforts to maintain it contribute to our ‘treasuring up for ourselves a fine foundation for the future, in order that we may get a firm hold on the real life.’​—1 Timothy 6:19.

The Blessing of Jehovah Makes Rich

“It will be a difficult thing for a rich man to get into the kingdom of the heavens.”​—MATTHEW 19:23.

1, 2. What contrast can be drawn between types of riches?

WHAT if someone notified you, “You have become rich”? Many would be thrilled to be told this if it meant that they were rich with money, land, or luxury possessions. But consider the matter of riches from this standpoint: “The blessing of Jehovah​—that is what makes rich, and he adds no pain with it.”​—Proverbs 10:22.

² As God dealt with the ancient patriarchs and the nation of Israel, he blessed their faithfulness with prosperity. (Genesis 13:2; Deuteronomy 28:11, 12; Job 42:10-12) King Solomon was one so blessed. He became immensely wealthy. Yet he learned by experience that a life centered on material riches “was vanity and a striving after wind.” (Ecclesiastes 2:4-11; 1 Kings 3:11-13; 9:14, 28; 10:10) So when Solomon wrote, “The blessing of Jehovah​—that is what makes rich,” he was not stressing material riches. He was stating the truth that if you have God’s blessing, your life is incomparably richer than that of those not serving him. How so?

3. In what ways are you truly rich if you have God’s blessings?

³ If you are a Christian, you can enjoy Jehovah’s approval now and receive from him blessings such as godly wisdom. You can be accepted into a familylike congregation of Christians who are basically happy, trusting, and interested in you. God’s laws shield you from many diseases and dangers. You also have reason to hope for divine protection through the “great tribulation” that lies ahead for this wicked system​—and then for life in the endless Paradise to follow on earth. So, you see, with such marvelous blessings and prospects, you can truly say, “I am rich!”​—Matthew 24:21, 22.

4. How could you jeopardize your being spiritually rich? (Revelation 3:17, 18)

⁴ Your being “rich” with Jehovah’s blessings could, though, be jeopardized by other riches​—money or material wealth. Few of us (whether financially secure or of limited means) would readily admit, ‘I face a real danger of being led astray by the love of money.’ Recall, however, the warning: “The love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.” (1 Timothy 6:10) That was written at a time when all approved Christians were anointed with God’s spirit as a token that they could become heavenly rulers with Christ. Likely many had personally met apostles and others who had walked with Jesus. If money “led astray” some of them, how great the danger is for us!​—2 Corinthians 5:5; Romans 8:17, 23.

The Rich Man and the Camel

5. What was Jesus’ view of riches?

⁵ Jesus often brought up the peril of riches, for it is a danger facing everyone, those who are wealthy and those who are not. (Matthew 6:24-32; Luke 6:24; 12:15-21) As a basis for personal examination, consider what Jesus said on one occasion, as related at Matthew 19:16-24; Mark 10:17-30; and Luke 18:18-30. In fact, why not pause now to read one or all of those accounts?

6, 7. (a) What conversation took place between Jesus and a young man? (b) Afterward, what counsel did Jesus offer?

⁶ A young ruler came to Jesus and asked: “By doing what shall I inherit everlasting life?” Jesus directed him to the Law, thus showing that Jehovah had not failed to indicate what was necessary. The man replied that he had kept God’s commands ‘from his youth on.’ It was as if he were at the door to life, but he sensed that he was yet lacking something. Perhaps he thought that there was some added good, some heroic act, that would be the final step through the door into everlasting life. Jesus’ response has broad implication: “Sell all the things you have and distribute to poor people, and you will have treasure in the heavens; and come be my follower.” What happened? “When he heard this, he became deeply grieved, for he was very rich [or, was holding many possessions].” So the man left.​—Luke 18:18, 21-23; Mark 10:22.

⁷ Afterward Jesus observed: “How difficult a thing it will be for those having money to make their way into the kingdom of God! It is easier, in fact, for a camel to get through the eye of a sewing needle than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:24, 25) Was that counsel only for that rich ruler? Or are you involved, whether you are wealthy or poor? Let us see.

8. (a) What was the young Jewish ruler like? (b) What fault did he have, and why should that concern us?

⁸ You may be helped to understand that young ruler’s situation if you imagine a modern equivalent​—a clean young Christian with good Bible knowledge, fine morals, and coming from a wealthy family. You might envy such a person today. But Jesus found a major lack with the young Jewish man: His wealth or possessions were too important in his life. Thus Jesus counseled as he did. You can see why this Bible account is for all of us, whether rich or poor. Money and possessions could become too important for any one of us, whether we already have them or we just long to have such.

9. How do we know that Jesus was not condemning wealthiness as such?

⁹ Jesus was not saying that a person with material riches could not serve God. Many have done so. That young Jewish man had done so​—to an extent. There was the tax collector Zacchaeus, who “was rich.” (Luke 19:2-10) Some anointed Christians in the first century were wealthy and hence had the special challenge “to be liberal, ready to share.” (1 Timothy 6:17, 18; James 1:9, 10) And there are some wealthy Christians today too. They have often given generously to support the Kingdom work, opened their homes for meetings, and used their automobiles in the ministry. Why, then, did Jesus say what he did about the rich man and the camel? What can we learn from it?

10. We can conclude what from Jesus’ counsel on that occasion?

¹⁰ As you can appreciate, it is one thing to begin worshiping God; it is another thing to prove faithful to the end. (Matthew 24:13; Philippians 3:12-14) Jesus may have had this in mind when saying: “It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25) No camel could squeeze through the tiny eye of a sewing needle, so Jesus obviously was using a hyperbole, an exaggeration not meant to be taken literally. It shows, though, how hard it is for a rich man to do something. What? Not just to begin serving God, no, but “to enter into the kingdom,” actually to gain everlasting life. No matter how you stand financially, Jesus’ counsel can aid your thinking, your spiritual progress, and your gaining lasting life.

Why So Difficult for the Rich?

11. How were the poor and the wealthy affected by Jesus’ preaching?

¹¹ Through the preaching done by Jesus and the apostles, ‘the poor had the good news declared to them.’ (Matthew 11:5) There was no discrimination against the rich. Yet it seems that more of the poor recognized their spiritual need and responded to the message of hope. (Matthew 5:3, 6; 9:35, 36) The rich Jews were more satisfied with how things were going. (Compare Luke 6:20, 24, 25.) Still, there were exceptions back then, and there are exceptions today. Some wealthy persons accept the Bible’s message and serve God. The outcome for them can be marvelous. It was in the case of Paul, who did not let his station in life stop him. (Philippians 3:4-8) Nevertheless, Jesus said that it would be more difficult for the rich.

“Deceptive Power of Riches”

12, 13. (a) In an illustration, what point did Jesus make about anxieties? (b) Why do the wealthy face an added obstacle?

¹² In his illustration of seeds falling on different soils, Jesus said that some “fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them.” He explained: “As for the one sown among the thorns, this is the one hearing the word, but the anxiety of this system of things and the deceptive power of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:7, 22) Almost all people experience some of “the anxiety of this system of things.” It is easy to see why that is so for a person who is impoverished, unemployed, or handicapped. The financially secure person might not have the same anxieties, yet even he or she could be quite anxious over the effect of inflation, changes in taxation, or the danger of theft. So wealthy and poor alike may have anxieties.​—Matthew 6:19-21.

¹³ Jesus showed that some would be hindered also by “the deceptive power of riches.” Becoming a financial success can be all-consuming. The millionaire Aristotle Onassis once commented: “After you reach a certain point, money becomes unimportant. What matters is success. The sensible thing would be for me to stop now. But I can’t. I have to keep aiming higher and higher​—just for the thrill.” Similarly, a Christian could find it thrilling to struggle up the corporate ladder. Or he could be seduced to expand his business long after reaching what earlier in life he would have viewed as “enough.” Rather than reduce his work (or retire) so as to become a full-time minister, he ‘tears down his storehouses [or homes] and builds bigger ones.’ (See Luke 12:15-21.) Could that happen to you? Do you think that God would judge anyone in that situation as serving him whole-souled?​—Matthew 22:37.

14. That riches could hinder a Christian can be illustrated how? (Proverbs 28:20)

¹⁴ There are yet other ways in which riches (or the passion to gain them) can hinder a Christian from ‘inheriting everlasting life.’ One is that love of riches might move him to adopt worldly tactics, such as underreporting profits or using other dishonest but common tactics. Or if he employs fellow Christians who are honest and hardworking, he might put his own personal gain ahead of their spirituality. For instance, in order to lock them to their job, he might encourage them to develop a more expensive life-style (or even to go into debt for luxuries). And since he is their boss, this relationship might tend to carry over into congregational dealings.

15. How may some early Christians have felt the harmful effects of riches? (Psalm 73:3-8, 12, 27, 28)

¹⁵ Some wealthy Christians in the first century may have been among those who fell victim to “the deceptive power of riches.” James wrote of ‘the miseries coming upon you rich men.’ They owned costly garments, had accumulated gold and silver by underpaying employees, and had grown fat in luxury. (James 5:1-5) It is similar today. Wealth often permits a person to have rich food and drink that may damage his body. It may also allow for constant travel that separates him from the local congregation. This is not to say that nice clothes, jewelry, food, and travel are in themselves harmful. However, the “rich men” that James wrote about were not helped by such; with their low spirituality and standing before God, they had reason to ‘weep, howling over the miseries that were coming.’

16. Why did Jesus offer such clear counsel about riches, and what should you ask yourself?

¹⁶ Jesus certainly knew of the pain and the obstacles to spirituality that the wealthy often experience. He knew also that valuables may rot literally or turn out to be worthless, which will never happen to Christian riches. (Proverbs 11:28; Mark 10:29, 30) Hence, Jesus was doing all of us a genuine service by warning: “How difficult a thing it will be for those having money to make their way into the kingdom of God!” (Luke 18:24) His warning can benefit us even if we have very limited resources. How? By our stifling any ambition that we have to become wealthy now. Christians believe that Jesus spoke truth. We believe and live by what Jesus said about his Father, about the end of this system, and about cultivating love. This Truth-Speaker also said: “It is easier for a camel to get through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24) Do you truly believe that? Do your actions, life-style, and attitudes prove that you do?

Continue to Be Rich​—God’s Way

17. How are many Christians putting themselves in line for being enriched by Jehovah?

¹⁷ Evidence is coming in from all over the world that by far the majority of God’s servants are taking to heart counsel such as that found at Matthew 19:16-24. Many young Christians are resolving that once they complete the normal amount of public schooling, they will pursue the full-time ministry. Wives who could do secular work to increase the family income are, instead, devoting more time to Christian activities, making themselves and others richer spiritually. Even some men who have the Scriptural responsibility to provide materially for their families are finding ways to have a greater share in the ministry.

18, 19. What steps have some taken who have sought Jehovah’s blessing?

¹⁸ One elder in his mid-30’s admits that “being a full-time minister was always just words that rolled from my lips.” He was earning over $25,000 a year, besides which he had an expense account and use of a company car. Then he was asked to deliver the 1983 convention talk “Setting and Reaching Proper Goals.” He confesses: “As I eagerly read over the material, I was so embarrassed and ashamed that my conscience was just killing me.” Before the convention arrived, he and his wife discussed their situation. Soon he got a part-time job and joined his wife as a pioneer. They are still pioneering, happily enjoying many spiritual blessings.

¹⁹ Others have moved from areas where financial possibilities abound to places where they could expand their spiritual activities. A Canadian couple wrote concerning their pioneering in Latin America: “Although there is much poverty here among the brothers, they have a marvelous zeal for the truth. They may be poor in a worldly way, but spiritually they are millionaires. We have 38 publishers, 10 of whom are regular pioneers. Double meetings are necessary because there are so many attending​—from 110 to 140 on the average. The two elders and three ministerial servants have to take care of all these meetings. We are relearning from our humble brothers here what it means really to put Jehovah first in our lives. They show us that Jehovah can be served whole-souled no matter what our circumstances might be.”

20. How should we feel in our hearts about being materially rich?

²⁰ Such Christians have no valid reason to envy a rich person, whether outside or inside the congregation, or to be preoccupied with materialistic ambitions. They realize that some money is needed for normal life. (Ecclesiastes 5:3; 7:12) But they appreciate also that Jesus told the truth​—the wealthy face many spiritual obstacles, challenges, and dangers. One difficult challenge is for “those who are rich in the present system of things not to be high-minded, and to rest their hope, not on uncertain riches, but on God.”​—1 Timothy 6:17.

21. What is the lot of those who pursue spiritual riches?

²¹ Sadly, the young ruler who spoke with Jesus failed to meet that challenge. Others like him have served God for a time but have later suffered pain and spiritual failure related to their wealth. In contrast are the millions of loyal Christians who continue to prove that “the blessing of Jehovah​—that is what makes rich, and he adds no pain with it.” (Proverbs 10:22) Their lives have meaning; they have valuable goals and a sense of accomplishment. Their good works will last forever, providing them with intense joy now and in the future. Let each of us strive to be rich in that way.​—Philippians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 20.