Luke 12:13-21
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” 16 Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
One day Jesus told a parable (a pointed story) to a person who was concerned with money. It has come to be known as The Parable of the Rich Fool.
The way the story goes, a person was blessed with abundant crops. And rather than being content with that abundance, this person could only imagine pulling down the barns to build bigger ones, in pursuit of so much more (what was thought to be needed to really be content and happy.) But that very night, their life was taken, and they didn’t get to enjoy what they hoped would come.
And the PS that Jesus put on the story?
So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.
This story is a tricky one. I guess the point of the parable is for us to find contentment in our blessings. Is there a point where we feel blessed, or are we only concerned about having more than enough?
Prayer
God, let me first be thankful for what you have given me in life. And let me seek contentment in living as you call me to live. Help me to be wise in what I seek, and in how I choose to enjoy each day. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
