What is most valuable?
November 19, 2009 (Thursday)
Until 1971, the price of gold was set at $35 per ounce. Gold today is priced at $1144 per ounce. If you had bought gold when its price was deregulated in 1971, you would have $32.69 today for every dollar you invested. That’s an annual return of about 9.2%. much more than the average interest paid on a bank certificate of deposit today (about 1%, more or less).
Jesus told us a story about a rich man who asked his workers to invest his money. Two of them invested and earned a profit for their boss, but the third man hid the money and made no profit. The boss praised the workers who had done what he asked, but scolded the other worker mercilessly. “You should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest” (Matthew 25:27 NIV).
As interesting as financial investments may be, Jesus told us to be concerned about another type of investment, much more important than gold or cash. Here’s what he said: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV).
There’s more. Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33 NIV).
These quotations are from the “Sermon on the Mount,” Matthew 6, and Jesus’ main topic is, “Don’t worry.”