Luke 12:18-21

Luke 12:18-21

 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain 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 whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Face it, our world is selfish. Our world tells us to look out for ourselves above all else. Our world tells us to “get ours” by whatever means is necessary and hold onto what we get. Our world tells us that the more we have, the better. It is easy to fall into this trap. It is easy to think that our lives are all about us and that the main goal in life is to climb as high as possible on the ladder of wealth, status, and success. Jesus speaks the lesson above to a man that shouted from a crowd, asking Jesus to tell the man’s brother to share their inheritance. The man wanted his “fair” share…the man wanted what he felt was owed to him. Jesus initially responded to the man saying “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” He brings to light the greed in both men…one wanted to keep it all to himself and one wanted his share. Both were consumed with greed, to the point that they were in “battle” with one another over who gets what. Everything that is good in our lives comes from the Lord…the money in our pockets, our talents and abilities, our good health, our families and friends, our jobs, homes, cars…it’s all been handed down out of love and mercy from the Lord. We did nothing to deserve it… in fact we did a whole lot of things to NOT deserve it. Yet, the Lord still provides. Therefore we should be generous with what we have been given. If we have been blessed with wealth, we should find someone in need and help them buy some groceries, fill a tank with gas, or pay some bills. If we have been blessed with some talent, then we should us that talent to better the lives of those around us. If we have been blessed with a healthy body, then we should use that body to mow a neighbor’s yard or help someone move their belongings to a new home. If we have been given an abundance of free time, we should use that time to serve the Lord…volunteer at a food pantry, play checkers with someone at a nursing home, volunteer at a special needs home…something, anything, as long as it’s sharing God’s love with those around us. We only have a short time in this life…we should use that time to be generous, kind, and compassionate with the gifts that the Lord has planted in our lives. There is no value in sitting around, stockpiling our wealth, time and talent, hoarding everything good for our own consumption…no value at all. May we seek ways each day to use what God has given us to love those around us! To God alone be the glory!