Money can come and go, and fame comes and goes. Peace of mind and

“Money can come and go, and fame comes and goes. Peace of mind and a relationship with God is far more important, so this is the precedent that we’ve set in our lives. The bottom line is, we all die, so Jesus is the answer.” — Phil Robertson

Listen well, O child of the passing world, for these words from Phil Robertson, the patriarch known for his humble wisdom and steadfast faith, are a lamp to the wandering heart. In them lies the ancient truth that outlives kingdoms and gold — that wealth and fame are fleeting shadows, but peace and divine fellowship endure beyond the grave. Spoken by a man who tasted both the poverty of obscurity and the glitter of worldly success, these words are not theory but testimony. For Robertson, who rose from a life of hunting and hardship to global recognition, learned that neither money nor fame could quiet the soul when it cried for meaning.

The origin of this saying lies in Robertson’s own story — a man once lost in the wilderness of pleasure and self-reliance, who found redemption not in riches but in Jesus Christ. He had known the emptiness that wealth can never fill, the discontent that fame cannot soothe. In his early years, before the world knew his name, he lived by the chase — of animals, of success, of fleeting satisfaction. But in time, he discovered the truth that the wise have long proclaimed: that the soul cannot drink from the wells of this world and be satisfied. His transformation, from self to surrender, became the foundation of his life’s message: that peace is not purchased, but given — and only God gives it.

When Robertson says, “Money can come and go, and fame comes and goes,” he is reminding us of the fragile and fickle nature of worldly treasures. Gold rusts, beauty fades, and even the loudest applause will one day fall silent. The ancients knew this well. The mighty Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who ruled an empire, wrote that all glory is but “smoke and ashes.” The tombs of pharaohs, once adorned with jewels and guarded by armies, now lie open to the curious hands of archaeologists. Thus, the wisdom of the ages agrees with the hunter-preacher of the modern day: what the world gives, time takes away.

But there is something time cannot touch — the peace of mind that springs from knowing one’s Creator. Robertson places this peace above all else because it cannot be bought, stolen, or lost. It is the stillness that remains when storms rage, the assurance that whispers when wealth is gone and fame forgotten. It is the inheritance of those who have anchored their hearts in eternity rather than in the trembling earth. Such peace, he reminds us, comes only through a relationship with God, not through religion alone, but through communion — a living bond of trust and surrender.

In his words, “The bottom line is, we all die,” Robertson confronts the ultimate truth that humbles every man, no matter his riches. Death, the great equalizer, spares no crown nor coin. Yet even in this truth, there is no despair — for he follows it with hope: “Jesus is the answer.” The answer not to fleeting questions of success, but to the eternal question of purpose. When the world’s pleasures fade, when the body weakens, and when life itself departs, what remains? For Robertson, and for all who believe, the answer is not an idea, but a person — the living Christ, who conquers death and offers life everlasting.

Consider, O listener, the parable of the Rich Young Ruler, who came to Jesus seeking eternal life but could not part with his wealth. He possessed all that the world could offer but lacked the one thing that mattered. Christ’s words to him still echo through time: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?” Robertson’s reflection is but a modern echo of that divine truth. He warns us gently that peace without God is illusion, and success without salvation is dust.

The lesson, therefore, is both simple and profound: build your life upon that which cannot decay. Cherish your faith above your fortune, and measure your worth not by possessions but by purpose. Let your heart be fixed on what is eternal, for the things of this world are like the morning mist — beautiful for a moment, then gone. Seek first peace with God, and all else will find its rightful place.

So, O traveler of the fleeting world, remember this as you walk your path: money will fade, fame will vanish, but peace of mind and faith in Christ will carry you beyond the grave. Make this your precedent, as Phil Robertson did — live not for the applause of men, but for the approval of Heaven. For in the end, when all that can be lost is lost, one truth will remain unshaken and eternal: Jesus is the answer.