Parable of the Rich Fool. Luke 12:16-21

Luke 12:16 Then He told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. 17 He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ 18 And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods 19 and I shall say to myself, ‘Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!’” 

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This is a story about personal wealth and property, but also about other riches. The rich fool was thinking only of himself, and he was so proud of his riches that he hoarded them. In fact, he built bigger barns so that he could store up more. All he was thinking of was gathering more wealth into his barns. This also applies to us today, not just with material riches, but also our spiritual riches.

Luke: 12:20:  But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ 21 Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself  but is not rich in what matters to God.”

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Now think about the fact that whether these goods are material or spiritual gifts, we are called not to “build bigger barns.” Rather, we are called to be good stewards and to invest our treasures and share them with others. This does not just include our material wealth. While it is important to donate to the needy, we are also called to share our time and lovingkindness. There are many fruits of the Holy Spirit, and these are our greatest treasures.

Praying with the Word: Lord Jesus, Master of the harvest and Giver of gifts, please help us to understand the difference between spiritual treasures and earthly treasures. Reveal to us what gifts you have given us, and show us how to share them. May your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.  In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

Meditations

1. Meditate and write about what this means in terms of our worldly goods, and how we store up for ourselves earthly riches.

2. Some of our riches may be spiritual treasures. Think about how you might sometimes put them in storage and keep them for yourself. What gifts are you hiding away in storage, instead of using them for the Kingdom?

3. How can you better share your earthly and spiritual treasures to benefit the Kingdom here on earth?