Setting Our Hearts Upon Riches

One of the great messages of the Book of Mormon is that we must not set our hearts upon riches.  We see this theme again and again in the stories of the Nephites and Lamanites, and it is indeed a message that we need in our day where so many are focused on obtaining the things of the world.  Here are some of the places that we see this theme brought out.  King Noah “placed his heart upon riches” and Abinadi rebuked him, saying: “Why do ye set your hearts upon riches” (Mosiah 11:14, 12:29).  At a righteous period, Mormon wrote how the Nephite faithful “did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry…; and they did not set their hearts upon riches” (Alma 1:30).  Unfortunately just a few chapters later we read that “the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world” (Alma 4:8).  When Alma then addressed them because of their wickedness, he said, “Will ye still persist in… setting your hearts upon the vain things of the world, upon your riches?” (Alma 5:53)  When Alma then addressed the righteous people of Gideon, he said, “I trust that ye have not set your hearts upon riches and the vain things of the world” (Alma 7:6).  The Lamanites at the time of the sons of Mosiah were also a people whose “hearts were set upon riches, or upon gold and silver, and precious stones” (Alma 17:14).  Later in the time of Nephi and Lehi when the people were turning back to wickedness Mormon wrote that “they began to set their hearts upon their riches” (Helaman 6:17).  When Nephi then addressed them, he said, “Ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world” (Helaman 7:21).  Shortly thereafter Samuel the Lamanite came and focused again on this theme as he taught people in the land of Zarahemla: “Ye are cursed because of your riches, and also are your riches cursed because ye have set your hearts upon them” (Helaman 13:21).  Again and again we see that the Nephite people struggled with this problem of setting their hearts upon the vain things of the world.  The Book of Mormon stands as a warning for our day and society that if we will persist in serving Mammon instead of God, we will face the same kind of destruction: “Whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them” (Ether 2:9).