Daily Scripture: Luke 12:13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Rabbi, tell my brother to share with me the property we inherited.” 14 But Yeshua answered him, “My friend, who appointed me judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 Then to the people he said, “Be careful to guard against all forms of greed, because even if someone is rich, his life does not consist in what he owns.” 16 And he gave them this illustration: “There was a man whose land was very productive. 17 He debated with himself, ‘What should I do? I haven’t enough room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and I’ll store all my wheat and other goods there. 19 Then I’ll say to myself, “You’re a lucky man! You have a big supply of goods laid up that will last many years. Start taking it easy! Eat! Drink! Enjoy yourself!”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night you will die! And the things you prepared — whose will they be?’ 21 That’s how it is with anyone who stores up wealth for himself without being rich toward God.”
Reflection Questions:
Jesus used this parable, with the startling statement that “One’s life isn’t determined by one’s possessions,” to get his hearers (and us) to think about how far ahead our life plans reach. For the rich man storing his large crop, the sad answer was, “Not nearly far enough.” Being preoccupied with death is not healthy, but neither is denying reality. This life, and any material possessions we enjoy in it, will end. Only God can (and does) offer us eternity.
- This conversation began with a man asking Jesus to tell his brother to give him a bigger share of an inheritance. It ended with Jesus speaking sadly of “those who hoard things for themselves and aren’t rich toward God.” Have you ever found your attention to material goods blotting out relational or spiritual concerns? What helps you to make reasonable provision for material needs without letting your stuff “own” you, instead of the reverse?
- Imagine that the well-to-do farmer in this parable (or someone like him today) said to you, “My life seems kind of hollow and empty, in spite of all my wealth. I’d like to find greater peace and satisfaction—what do you think I should do?” How would you answer—what might that person do to become “rich toward God”? In what ways are you seeking to build that kind of eternal wealth?
Lord of all, your ways and wisdom can make this life better, but you called me to look beyond this limited span. Teach me how to live a life that is rich toward you. Amen.
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Insights from Brandon Gregory
Brandon Gregory is a volunteer for the worship and missions teams at Church of the Resurrection. He helps lead worship at the Vibe, West, and Downtown services, and is involved with the Malawi missions team at home.
The parable in today’s passage is often quoted when talking about the meaninglessness of the accumulation of wealth. But that’s not the point at all. There are two possibilities in life we must prepare for. The first is that we live far longer than we had anticipated. The second is that our lives are cut far shorter than we anticipated. Failing to prepare for either one can be disastrous.
A man asked Jesus to step into a family dispute. The man’s brother had not wrongfully taken his inheritance, otherwise he wouldn’t be going to Jesus–he’d be going to the courts. Giving the inheritance to one brother was the father’s choice. The man in the crowd was asking Jesus to undo his father’s wishes, possibly made for very good reasons.
Ultimately, we don’t know why the inheritance wasn’t shared with the man in the crowd. (Or maybe it was, but the man felt he didn’t get his fair cut.) But, based on Jesus’s reaction, we can tell why the man wanted the inheritance split: greed. You see, he was so busy planning for the first possibility that he’d lost the second one.
It’s not bad to save for the future. It’s bad to forget why we live. How often do we invest in our soul and character? How often do we track progress with our growth? What if we thought of and planned for our spiritual growth the same way we did our retirement: with goals and regular contributions?
When thinking about the future, make sure you’re planning for both possibilities. It’s very possible (and highly desirable) to plan for both.
The parable in today’s passage is often quoted when talking about the meaninglessness of the accumulation of wealth. But that’s not the point at all. There are two possibilities in life we must prepare for. The first is that we live far longer than we had anticipated. The second is that our lives are cut far shorter than we anticipated. Failing to prepare for either one can be disastrous.
A man asked Jesus to step into a family dispute. The man’s brother had not wrongfully taken his inheritance, otherwise he wouldn’t be going to Jesus–he’d be going to the courts. Giving the inheritance to one brother was the father’s choice. The man in the crowd was asking Jesus to undo his father’s wishes, possibly made for very good reasons.
Ultimately, we don’t know why the inheritance wasn’t shared with the man in the crowd. (Or maybe it was, but the man felt he didn’t get his fair cut.) But, based on Jesus’s reaction, we can tell why the man wanted the inheritance split: greed. You see, he was so busy planning for the first possibility that he’d lost the second one.
It’s not bad to save for the future. It’s bad to forget why we live. How often do we invest in our soul and character? How often do we track progress with our growth? What if we thought of and planned for our spiritual growth the same way we did our retirement: with goals and regular contributions?
When thinking about the future, make sure you’re planning for both possibilities. It’s very possible (and highly desirable) to plan for both.
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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