Article July 21, 2003 Issue

Where can you find real value?

By Geoffrey Barratt

What has ultimate value? Where is the untouchable, safe store of true worth? People customarily look for value in cash, stocks, gold bars, land, antiques, art works, and the like. But there is no ultimate, invulnerable, riskless value in any of those things. It's the weight of human opinion that gives them value, and most bankers or economists would agree that this valuation is a matter of convenience because it works in the world's economies.

Long before the formation of the stock market, Jesus spoke of a spiritual system of valuation when he said: "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" (Matt. 6:19–21).

In modern words, we could say that the value Jesus talked about is to be found in the enduring things of Spirit—not in the physical and ephemeral items that are here today and gone tomorrow. Concepts from God are heavenly treasures. They are spiritual and everlasting. We can safely place our trust in those concepts, those spiritual ideas. Lasting value lies in them. The inspired consciousness, which belongs to Spirit, carries the highest value.