The Greatest Wealth of All?
Written by Jimmie Burroughs
This following story originally appeared on KGW8 TV in Portland, Oregon. Kathy Boone a homeless woman in Oregan, died in January 2021 at age 49 while nearly $900,000 of inherited funds was being held by the state. According to KGW8 TV, Kathy Boone’s mother died in 2016. Her mother’s estate tried to contact Kathy multiple times but failed. When they couldn’t reach her, the money was held at the Oregon Department of State Lands while Kathy struggled homeless, wandering about the city in the cold and the heat for five years.
According to her father, Jack Spithill, Cathy Boone, 49, had a hard time throughout her adult life. He said, “I attribute it almost all to drugs, but I think she also had some mental health issues, and the combination of the two didn’t work out for her very well.” Get the full report at KGW».
Like the one above, sad stories happen all too often, when people ignore the wealth that could be theirs, but “The Greatest Wealth of All” is ignored by billions across the world every day. Most of the articles on the Internet state that health is the greatest wealth of all; some say self-sufficiency or education is. There is no doubt that these things are essential to well-being, but they do not represent the greatest wealth of all.
The Bible says, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:36-37 KJV. The emphasis here is, a human soul is of a greater value than all the world’s wealth, all the gold, all the silver, all the diamonds and precious stones, all the real estate and all of everything else. Why is the soul of man so valuable compared to other things? It is because the soul is eternal while everything else is temporal and fleeting away.
The question in the verse above asks, “What will a man give in exchange for his soul?” In other words, what does man count as more valuable than his eternal soul? For some, it is money; for others, it is a pleasure or fame. What do you count more valuable than your soul? Have you been overlooking the greatest wealth of all to seek that which is temporal and will not last?
Some time ago, a painting went up for sale at a local auction. Someone won the bid for $1,100. Later, experts discovered that the painting was an original by Italian Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci. That same painting went on the auction block again at the prestigious Christie’s auction house in New York City, and it sold for over four million dollars. The original owner exchanged a valuable treasure for only a small sum. “What will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Will it be little in comparison to its actual value? Will a person spend their entire life grubbing out things that will surely perish and lose that which is most valuable, his eternal soul?
People are dying all around us every day, lost without any hope. Why is this so? Perhaps some have not understood the value of their soul, or maybe they don’t believe the Bible. What do you think? A lot of people accept what others tell them as the truth rather than believing the Bible. What if they are wrong, or what if you are wrong? Think about it; eternity is too long to be wrong about your eternal soul. The Bible says, “Today is the day of salvation,” 2 Corinthians 6:2 KJV. What that means is, there will never be another opportunity for salvation after this life, nor is there any guarantee there will be another day to make the decision.
Wisdom would tell us to seek the greatest wealth of all; the Bible says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” Matthew 6:19-21 KJV.
You may be wondering, “how can I find this greatest wealth of all?” I like the answer given by the Billy Graham association: “What the world needs more than anything else is Jesus Christ. Do you know Him? Come to Christ in faith today. God loves you, and He calls you to turn away from sin and trust Jesus Christ as your savior. If you will do that, God promises to give you a new beginning and a new life that is both abundant and eternal. Right now, Where ever you are, you can begin a relationship with God. It’s the most important thing you’ll ever do.”
A relationship with God is the greatest wealth of all. CLICK HERE for step-by-step instructions on how you may have that relationship.