Thy Money Perish With Thee

In his recent book Led By Divine Design, Elder Rasband told a story about his former employer and mentor John Huntsman.  In the 1980s the company was not doing well, and it was decided that 40% of the business would be sold off.  A buyer was found and a price determined, and John Huntsman shook on it to finalize the deal.  Over the next six months as the deal was being finalized, the company suddenly started to perform very well and the portion that was being sold was worth five times the agreed upon selling price.  The lawyers told John that he didn’t have to hold up to the agreed upon price because they had only shook hands and did not sign any papers.  “But John was a man of his word. And his handshake was no casual commitment. He informed the buyers of his decision to honor the original agreement and shocked the chemical industry. He would lose millions in the deal, but to him a deal was a deal.  His handshake was his bond” (part 4).  This story is a powerful example of staying true to our word at all costs and the fact that integrity is of far more importance than earthly possessions.

               There are several scriptural stories that illustrate the negative consequences of placing worldly wealth before personal integrity.  In the Old Testament after Naaman was healed by Elisha and the prophet rejected any kind of payment from the Syrian leader, Gehazi went after Naaman alone.  He lied to Naaman saying, “My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.”  When Elisha found out he pronounced this curse upon his servant, “The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever” (2 Kings 5:22, 27).  His greed and dishonesty cost him his health for the rest of his life.  Another dramatic example is the story of Judas.  He betrayed the Lord with a kiss in order to get 30 pieces of silver, a dishonest action for which he paid dearly.  He realized afterwards that it was a terrible deed he had done and tried to return the money.  When the chief priests wouldn’t accept it, Judas “cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself” (Matt. 27:5).  Again he paid a high price in remorse for such a small sum of money.  The story of Ananias and Sapphira is equally dramatic and gives the same lesson. They lied to the Lord when “kept back part of the price” from the apostles, and both died on the spot (Acts 5:2).  These stories are a stark reminder to us that greed and dishonesty are simply not worth the price.  Simon the sorcerer who sought to use money to buy the power to give the Holy Ghost was told this by Peter, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God” (Acts 8:20-21).  Likewise for us, if money becomes more important than our integrity then ultimately it will indeed perish with us and our possibility of salvation.