PROVO, Utah -- The Savior had a great deal to say on wealth -- particularly on the attitude his disciples should have toward it.

S. Michael Wilcox, an instructor at the Salt Lake University Institute of Religion, spoke at BYU's Campus Education Week on Monday, Aug. 17, about Christ's teachings on the "diversions of wealth."

Wilcox said he wanted to let the scriptures do the talking and provide "a lens to look through all the other counsels and decisions that we might get" on finances.

Wilcox quoted Elder Melvin J. Ballard, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve in the 1920s and '30s.

"I recognize … with my brethren that the sorest trials that have ever come to the church in any age of the world are the trials of peace and prosperity," Elder Ballard said in an address in 1929. "But we are going to do a new thing. A thing that has never been done before. We are going to take the church of Christ not only through the age of persecution and mob violence, we are going to take the church through peace and prosperity. … It was not the design and intention of the Lord to have his people always in suffering, bondage and distress. They will come to peace and prosperity, but it will be the sorest trial that will ever come to them."

In Mark 10, a rich man came to Jesus and asked, "what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" The man had kept many of the commandments. "Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me."

Wilcox said that we often focus harshly on the word "lackest" instead of the the phrase where Christ "loved him."

"I'm not sure that I'm to the point where (Christ) would even make the request of me," Wilcox said.

The man went away sorrowfully from Christ, leading the Savior to say, "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!" Christ went further to say that "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

Wilcox read from the Joseph Smith Translation that emphasized that it is impossible for men that trust in riches. "If I look to the Lord," Wilcox said, "his instructions will tell me how to do it."

In Luke 12:13, Christ refuses to get involved in a squabble over money and judge an inheritance issue. He teaches instead against covetousness -- and not just covetousness for what others possess.

"The Savior seems to be saying that covetousness can also be applied to my own things -- things that I already have," Wilcox said.

Christ then tells the parable of "a certain rich man" who made plans to build bigger places to hold his things. Wilcox called this the natural human tendency to want more. He said there is a "creeping average," where what people consider average continues to go up. The problem is that greater resources need to be applied to continue to build greater things. Christ, however, wants us to be "rich toward God."

"So much of our energy (is spent on) making more costly apparel, greater shelters," Wilcox said. "The Savior's teaching seems to say, 'Take care of the basics -- that's the promise that I give you that I will help you with.' "

The parable of the unjust steward in Luke 16:1-9 shows how a worldly man used his financial leverage to buy friends in this world. Wilcox said Christ gave us this parable to encourage us to use our means to "make heavenly friends."

This point of making heavenly friends is also seen in the parable, also in Luke 16, of poor Lazarus and an un-named rich man. The rich man ignored the beggar Lazarus in this world. After both men died, the rich man suffered. He begged Abraham to allow Lazarus to cool the rich man's burning tongue with a drop of water. But he could not. There was a "great gulf" between them.

"(There is) a tendency to create gulfs between people," Wilcox said. "We are going to have to get over the thinking that wealth places greater values on some and lesser values on others."

To prove that wealth does not follow importance, Wilcox asked if sports stars are really more important and useful to society than an elementary school teacher who teaches a child how to read.

There is a diversionary aspect of temporal affairs, according to Wilcox, that can cause us to miss the greater things that God wants to give us. "It's the priority level that is important."

BYU Campus Education Week continues through Aug. 21. More information about Education Week can be found at educationweek.byu.edu.