Unless you have been living in an isolation chamber for the last few years, you have probably heard numerous ads for buying gold and silver. The “hawkers” point to the huge increases in the price of gold and silver as proof positive that either one is still a wise investment. Granted, the price increase in the last 10 years is compelling. And if the doomsday pundits are right about what is coming, gold and silver may still be “good” insurance against an economic debacle. But in spite of all the claims being made, no one on this planet knows what is going to happen to the value of any commodity, except to say that it may go up or down or stay the same. How helpful is that tidbit?

On the other hand, there is a known fact about the value of gold and silver that is extremely useful because it unlocks the secret to real, enduring happiness. As you might have guessed, it comes to us from the source of ultimate truth, God’s Word. Here is what the Holy Spirit says about happiness: “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; for her proceeds are better than the profit of silver, and her gain than fine gold.” (Proverbs 3:13-14)

Now, some might be thinking that the key to happiness is to be wise and understanding enough to always know when to buy low and sell high in the world of investments. But investment wisdom and marketplace savvy cannot enable us to choose a strategy that will benefit our eternal soul.

We know that wealth apart from God has no lasting benefit to those who accumulate it. Yes, it may provide some temporal joy while on this earth but that’s where it ends. Jesus’ account of a rich man who died living in the lap of luxury validates the veracity of Proverbs 3. After his death, Luke 16:23 says that man was in “torment”, a stark contrast to his earthly life style (Luke 16:19). He realized all too late that he had made the wrong choices so he wanted to warn his five brothers not to make the same bad decisions. But their problem was not a lack of information, they, like he, just refused to listen to God’s Word. (Luke 16:31) How tragic!

The allurement of worldly attractions can deafen us to the message of the Bible. But the wisdom of divine revelation can enable us to distinguish between the value of true riches and worldly wealth (Luke 16:11) thereby insuring our happiness. The best investment you can ever make is not gold or silver, it’s wisdom and understanding that can only come from God.  KD