Day 11 | The Rich Fool

“Then he said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 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 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.'”

Jesus tells a powerful parable about a rich man who stores up wealth for himself but is not rich toward God. This story cuts to the heart of our relationship with money and possessions.

The rich man in the parable thinks he's set for life because of his abundant harvest. He plans to build bigger barns and take it easy. But God calls him a fool. He thinks that his material wealth is enough to protect him against the realities of life. The man is focused on temporary riches rather than eternal ones.

This parable challenges us to examine our own attitudes toward wealth. Are we storing up treasures on earth or in heaven? Are we more concerned with our own comfort and security than with being generous and serving God?

Greed blinds us to the temporary nature of earthly riches. It tricks us into thinking we can find lasting security in our bank accounts or possessions. But as Jesus points out, we can't take any of it with us when we die.

Instead of hoarding wealth, we're called to be "rich toward God." This means using our resources in ways that please Him - being generous, caring for others, and investing in His kingdom.

By shifting our focus from accumulating wealth to serving God, we find true riches that last beyond this life. We experience the joy of generosity and the peace of trusting God rather than money.

Ask yourself the following questions

In what ways might I be acting like the rich fool in Jesus' parable? 

How can I be more "rich toward God" with my resources? 

What fears or insecurities drive me to hoard rather than share? 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I've acted foolishly with my resources. Help me to be rich toward You, using what You've given me for Your glory. Give me the courage to be generous and to trust You for my security. Amen.