Is money important to Mormons

More and more people are noticing that Mormons make up only 2% of the American population, but are relatively more common in the business world, often with success. The Economist published there before an interesting article about. There is even a book that I can definitely recommend: “The Mormon way of doing business”.

That's why I sometimes get asked if  money is important to Mormons? It's a good question, and one I'll even use for our family home evening tomorrow.

Our attitude to money or wealth and prosperity in general has a clear place in our doctrine. I find the clear answer in the Book of Mormon Jacob chapter 2:

12 And now, behold, my brethren, this is the word that I declare unto you: many of you have begun to seek for gold, and for silver, and for all manner of precious minerals, in which this land, which is a land of promise to you and to your seed, is very rich.

13 And the hand of Providence has smiled upon you very kindly, whereby you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than your brethren, ye are exalted in the pride of your heart, and walk with a stiff neck, and with your head held high, because of the costliness of your garments, and persecute your brethren, because ye think that you are better than they.

14 Now, my brethren, do you think that God justifies you in this? Behold, I say unto you, No. On the contrary, He condemns you, and if you persist in these things, His judgments must soon come upon you.

Here, as in many other places in the scriptures, we read clearly that the pursuit of wealth is wrong if that pursuit comes to dominate our lives, if we become proud to achieve it. One cannot serve the Lord and Mammon equally.

But is it wrong to be right? To earn a living at all? In the same chapter we also find the answer:

17 Regard your brethren as yourselves, and be kind to all, and generous with your substance, that they may be rich as you are.

18 But seek the kingdom of God before you strive for wealth.

19 And after you have obtained hope in Christ, you will obtain riches, if you strive for them; and you will strive with the intention of doing good: to clothe the naked and feed the hungry and set the captives free and minister to the needs of the sick and needy.

To put it simply, we believe that you can only save others from drowning if you can swim well yourself. Money is not an end for us, but a means.

This meme sums it up nicely:

Mormons indeed attach great importance to studying well and working hard. Many factors in our lives help us with this, as already listed in the article  The Economist. But money is not the goal. Our goal is to learn, to prepare ourselves for the tasks that still await us in this life and the next. These tasks often require us to be strong on our own two feet, ready to help others.

Or to say it with my favorite verse (Mosiah 2:17):

And behold, I tell you these things that you may learn wisdom; that you may learn that when you are in the service of your fellow men, you are merely in the service of your God.