Someone in the crowd said to (Jesus),“Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” 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.” Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ 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. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ 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?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.” ~ Luke 12:13-21
Here's someone who really needed a reminder of the temporary nature of things.
"Eat, drink, and be merry" is another famous line from Ecclesiastes. And one this rich man seemed to take seriously.
Is there any part of you that identifies with this man? Who wonders just what he did wrong?
Aren't we supposed to save? Aren't frugality and thrift virtues?
All is temporary we've seen this week, and so here Jesus wants it clear that means we don't cling to the fleeing things as if that clinging will give it permanence.
Not when it can be used for good. And for God.
What we have isn't simply ours. It is God's.
And since it is God's, it is also our neighbors. Meant to be used for the building up of those neighbors. Meant to bring life and hope.
Generosity trumps frugality every time.
Give me a generous heart, God, and help me to see where there is need. Amen
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