They Did Not Set Their Hearts Upon Riches

This week’s Come, Follow Me lesson asks this question: “Chapters 1 and 4 of Alma both describe periods when the Church prospered, but Church members responded to that prosperity differently in each case. What differences do you notice?” In Alma 1 we read this about those of the Church who had become rich: “And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted…. And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all” (Alma 1:27, 30). In Alma 4 about eight years later, on the other hand, Mormon described the people this way: “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, that they began to be scornful, one towards another” (Alma 4:8). The main difference here is where their hearts were; in Alma 1 “they did not set their hearts upon riches,” but in Alma 4 they “set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world.” In a world obsessed with money, these accounts then invite us to ask the question: are our hearts set upon riches and the vain things of the world?

               I see at least two lessons from comparing these two time periods among the Nephites. The first is that if we want to understand our own heart and attitude towards riches, we should simply look at what we do with our own money. In Alma 1 they “did impart of their substance… to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted.” If our heart is not set upon riches, then we will give of our riches to those in need around us. In Alma 4, by contrast, they used their wealth on “fine silks” and “fine-twined linen” and “they began to wear very costly apparel” (v6). They also refused to give to those in need, “turning their backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.” (v12). Whether we choose to spend money on ourselves or on those in need around us when we have means will tell us a lot about whether our hearts are set upon riches. The other lesson I see from these two chapters is that we must not let our guard down after one period of service helping those in need. Undoubtedly some of the same people who were described as imparting of their substance to those in need in Alma 1 were also those who refused to do so in Alma 4 about eight years later. We cannot assume that because we had our hearts right concerning riches at one time that this cannot change very quickly if we are not vigilant. The world is constantly exerted pressure to get us to focus on wealth and possessions, to compare ourselves with others and seek improve our status in the eyes of others, always tempting us with the “deceitfulness of riches” (Matt. 13:22). What happened to these Nephites warns us that we should consistently be evaluating our own hearts and humbly seek to do all we can to help those in need around us. Paraphrasing what Alma said say to this group at Zarahemla, we would do well to ask ourselves often: “If ye have experienced a change of heart, if ye have felt to give to those in need, can ye feel so now?” (Alma 5:26)