Financial stress is an emotional and psychological (see spiritual) strain from concerns about money. Historically, “money is the biggest stressor that most adults have.” The American Institute of Stress that financial stress can lead to “fatigue, insomnia, irritability, mood swings and changes in appetite combined with stomach issues.”1 Financial issues are consistently rated among the top reasons why married couples argue with each other – and money itself, or the resulting arguments, contribute to the divorce rate.
Herein is the irony: “the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare” such that “the poor shall be exalted.”2 Interestingly enough, the Lord also taught us that “the poor [will] always be with [us]”3 – probably because of how we desire (or at least agree) to live. You can decide for yourself how favorable it is that the richest 1% possess more wealth than all people combined who constitute the 95th percentile, a staggering 43% of the world’s total wealth.4
Yet, even though a small percentage of our world will not experience money problems in terms of scarcity, they will share in the test of faith that money presents. Jesus made the connection in the parable of the sower: “the deceitfulness of riches” represents hearts that are “among thorns” that “choke the word” such that it “becometh unfruitful.”5
This post is for those among us who have a struggle of faith that is associated with money – whichever side of the coin we fall in terms of the status of our wealth.
Money is a Social Agreement That Produces Social Status
One way in which money is deceitful is that it is nothing more, nor less, than a social agreement that we construct among ourselves. Monies are units of community confidence. For example, consider that forces outside of industry or production can produce a “strong” or “weak” dollar. Consumer confidence can contribute to the ebb and flow of the markets.
Additionally, new units of dollars are not created through printing or some central protocol. New dollar units are created through commercial banks generating loans – almost out of nowhere – and adds to the supply. So, for those who have concerns about gold backing up dollars – they will need to come to terms with the fact that there is not enough paper dollars to back digital dollars.
Riches are deceitful because they quite literally mean nothing outside of social agreement and the establishment of social status. So, consumer confidence is confidence in… confidence?6 Thus, there is both a practical and foundational validity to Brigham Young’s prediction that utility is what generates value:
The time will come that gold will hold no comparison in value to a bushel of wheat.7
The Illusion of Value
So, why will there come a time when the value of gold pales in comparison to a bushel of wheat? It is because wheat possesses existential value (it has an inherent value based on how it can be used) whereas money has transactional value (meaning it has no inherent value because it can only be used when there is a social agreement to do so). That being said, we endeavor to attach transactional value to matters of existential value – such as calculating the dollar value of a human life or the quality of life.8
Money produces the illusion of value precisely because transactional value cannot replace existential – or inherent – value. Yet, this illusion of value has been a significant driver of social, political, and economic systems. This creates some paradoxes. For example, some economic systems sanctify the profit motive to a point where whatever is required to increase profits can be seen as the moral thing to do. Another example is that competition and survival of the fittest is fundamentally virtuous. To be fair, the profit motive and competition have helped achieve innovations and breakthroughs that make meaningful contributions to our lives. However, those return on investments do not equate to being moral or virtuous.
Consider Lynn G. Robbins’ explanation on how the profit motive and competition were only introduced as a result of the fall of Adam:
“Pride can exist only in an environment of competition and comparison, [so pride] was unknown to Adam. There was no temptation to keep up with neighbors. There was no coveting, jealousy, envy, selfishness, or any other sins that feed on pride. In fact, Satan had little with which to work. The competition he so anxiously awaited could not take place until Adam and Eve began to multiply and replenish the earth. When competition finally did occur, it happened in the workplace and in the acquiring of material possessions… The acquiring of wealth and material possessions would become fertile ground for Satan as he tempted mankind with the cunning strategy that this world is our destiny and that anything and everything here is available for money.”9
The Lord Jesus Christ has been so remarkably consistent in His contrast of a fallen world that is fueled by competition, comparison, and class warfare. Consider His invitation: “come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.”10 He is definitely interested in seeing that “all men are privileged the one like unto the other” and that the “laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; if they labor for money they shall perish.”11
Why will the laborer in Zion perish if their desire is money? Because Zion is not a pursuit of transactional value but is the pearl of great price, worthy of selling all that we have to posses it. The illusion of value means that “the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet.”12
In fact, God finds it insulting to think that morality, virtue, and priesthood can be purchased with money. Remember when Simon tried to purchase the priesthood from Peter, to which Peter rebuked: “thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.”13
Real Value: The Worth of Souls
In 1829, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmore His view on what He values: “Remember the worth of souls in great in the sight of God… wherefore, he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him…and how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!”14 In fact, He values us so much that the expanse of his creations “denote there is a God”15 whose work it is to bring about the “immortality and eternal life of man.”16
Neal A. Maxwell put the value of souls in this grand perspective:
There are literally now, science says, more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand in every beach, every desert, and every ocean floor on this planet…[and yet] souls matter more than stars.17
Well, here is where we can plainly see what the deceitfulness of riches really is: money often diverts our attention from where the Lord would have us place it and seduces us to turn inward. Good people with noble intentions, like the rich young man, couldn’t quite bring himself to let go of the sentiments that riches tempt us to believe about ourselves, resulting in him feeling “sorrowful” or “grieved” when inevitably we will be asked to stand on our own without the support of money. When the Lord noted “how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God”18 – it is not because they will be kept out because of their riches, but because they cannot bring themselves to admit their amassed wealth has no real value!
The Book of Mormon prophet Jacob taught his people after “having obtained [his] errand from the Lord.”19 This errand was that “the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts… and persecute your brethren because ye suppose ye are better than they.”
Comparison, competition, and class warfare indeed!
“Do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing?… Nay. But he condemneth you… Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.”
Say what?!?
“Before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good – to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and afflicted.”20
Following the Savior may result in riches – but even so – it is clear that our hearts must be ready to “sell that thou hast and give to the poor”21 that our “treasure [actually] be in heaven” so that we can truly follow him. So what does the Lord see as the real value of money? To lift others.
Men Are That They Might Have Money Joy
When all is said and done, money is ground zero where we “prove me now herewith.”22 And when our faith is proven through our experience with money, what exactly will be proved?
- When in times of financial duress, that the Lord will – in fact – “give us this day our daily bread.”23 Very few experiences will cement our trust in God more than our total dependence on Him and to experience “the multitude of His tender mercies”24 as we struggle with basic financial challenges.
- That He will open the “windows of heaven” and “pour out a blessing such that we will not have room to receive it.”25 It should be noted here that these blessings are associated with tithes and offerings. So, our giving such a that it blesses the poor is part of the equation for these blessings.
Really, what more could anyone want?
| Experiencing Financial Abundance | Facing Financial Constraints | |
| Examples of the Deceitfulness of Riches | “My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.”26 | “Wo unto you poor…whose hearts are not broken, whose spirits are not contrite…whose eyes are full of greediness, and who will not labor with your own hands!”27 |
| Examples of the Lord’s Invitations | “Thou wilt remember the poor and inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me.”28 | “When the poor…seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.”29 |
Jesus was once challenged by the Herodians when they brought a penny and asked them if it was lawful to give tribute unto Caesar. His response:
“Whose is this image and superscription [on the penny]?,” He asked. “Caesar’s” was the reply. “Then… render…unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.”30
The two conditions He provided give us all of the direction we need to face financial challenges with faith. Those two conditions, “image” and “superscription,” give us a clear perspective on the domain where money can be rendered – but it also gives us inspiration on what we can render to God as we wrestle with the pressure of money in our lives.
Superscription – meaning title or even name – is something are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ at baptism.31 As we live by faith, repent, and forgive others, we grow line upon line until we receive “the image of God engraven upon [our] countenances.”32 So – we can render our pennies unto Caesar while we can render unto God our whole souls. When we do so, are promised to receive all that God has.33
Not a bad return on investment.
Financial stress can be among the darkest experiences we can experience in mortality. Thus, as we seek not for treasures on earth, but instead “lay up for [ourselves] treasures in heaven… there will [our] heart[s] be also” and our “eye [will] be single [such that our] whole body shall be full of light.”34 The blessing of being full of light will strengthen our shoulders as we carry those burdens and lead us to inspired resolutions to money challenges.
- The American Institute of Stress, This is Just How Much Stress Impacts Your Life ↩︎
- D&C 104:16-17 ↩︎
- Matthew 26:11 ↩︎
- Oxfam International, Multilateralism in an Era of Global Oligarchy ↩︎
- Mark 4:18-19 ↩︎
- Contrast the hope we place in money against the real definition of faith: hoping “for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21). With money, we hope for things which are not seen (like a gold backing or even paper dollars) which are clearly not true. ↩︎
- Brigham Young, in Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, p. 250, 1943 ed., p. 298. ↩︎
- Martin Gallimore, The Price of Human Life: Can We Ethically Quantify Risk? ↩︎
- Lynn G. Robbins, Making a Living, Making a Life ↩︎
- 2 Nephi 26:25 ↩︎
- 2 Nephi 26:28-31 ↩︎
- 1 Nephi 19:7 ↩︎
- Acts 8:20 ↩︎
- D&C 18:10 ↩︎
- Alma 30:44 ↩︎
- Moses 1:39 ↩︎
- Neal A. Maxwell, Free to Choose ↩︎
- See Matthew 19:16-30 and Mark 10:17-31 ↩︎
- Jacob 1:17 ↩︎
- Jacob 2:12-19 ↩︎
- Matthew 19:21 ↩︎
- Malachi 3:10 ↩︎
- Matthew 6:11 ↩︎
- 1 Nephi 8:8 ↩︎
- Malachi 3:10 ↩︎
- Deuteronomy 8:17 ↩︎
- D&C 56:17 ↩︎
- D&C 42:30-31 ↩︎
- Isaiah 41:17 ↩︎
- Matthew 22:19-22 ↩︎
- D&C 20:37 ↩︎
- Alma 5:19 ↩︎
- See D&C 88:34 ↩︎
- Matthew 6:19-21 ↩︎
