Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ‘
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12: 13-21
This parable really strikes home for me. As someone who blogs about personal finance on almost a daily basis, it’s very convicting to read this parable, and to realize that at times, while I’m preparing my financial life to the point where I feel like I’ll be secure, I haven’t always paid as much attention to things that are even more important. I haven’t been “rich toward God” as much as I should have, and I haven’t been as thankful for all the wonderful things he has given me.
Reminder for today: Our finances and material things are only temporary. As much as we prepare for this life, even more-so we need to prepare for eternal life. Be “rich toward God”, and prepare yourself for eternity because even tonight your life may be demanded from you!
Excellent frame of reference Pete!
Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
What does this mean for us? That God doesn’t want us to save? God forbid! It means simply that we should not place our trust in earthly riches, but instead should focus on loving God and serving Him according to His purpose for our lives.
The frugal lifestyle is one that pleases God. Being a faithful steward of that which He entrusts us with is a very good thing.
It saddens me that I have not submitted myself to God in a greater way than I have, but yet He is still faithful and just to forgive my short-comings, if I have a repentant and loving heart toward Him.
Christ is the answer to all things, but most times, because of our unbelief and lack of faith, sadly He WILL have to bring us low before we turn to Him.
Psalm 34:18 says, “The LORD [is] nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
And again, Psalm 51:17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
Thank you for this post.
DebtFREEk!
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Good posts, and great verses. Not matter how much we prepare we have to realize that it can be all taken away in an instant. But as long as we have God in our lives He will see us through the good times and the bad.
For some reason whenever I read this parable it makes me think about retirement. Especially by those in the finance industry, isn’t that pretty much what we’re told about retirement? Save up plenty of good things, laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry. It’s quite necessary that we also remember we are to give back to God what is rightfully His.