Don’t be Greedy
13 Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” 16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ 21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
Luke 12:13-21 NLT
Relationship with God > money. God reminds us of this often throughout Scripture.
Before telling the story God already pointed out the issue: greed (or covetousness)
Many might read this parable and think to themselves that the Rich man did nothing wrong by wanting to max out his “401K” and live comfortably in retirement.
However, God can see what we cannot see; a person’s heart.
Matthew 6:24 NLT reads, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”
In the last verse of the parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:21), Jesus reveals that the Rich man valued earthly wealth over his relationship with God.
Life is not measured by how much we own, or by what kinds of things we own, but rather by our relationship with Jesus and other people.
For me this parable is a reminder that tomorrow isn’t promised, and not to get so caught up with the things of this world that I neglect my relationship with Jesus.