JESUS SPEAKING
And he said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses.” Then he spoke a parable to them saying, “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose things will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God?” (Luke 12: 13-21.)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
Jesus warned his followers to avoid covetousness; covetousness is the “excessive desire to acquire or possess more than one needs or deserves.” Most people are unsatisfied with the bare necessities. They, like the wealthy man in this parable, need abundance in order to feel secure. When the rich man had fully filled his barns, he selfishly sought to keep the additional grain for himself; shamefully, he never considered the needs of the less fortunate. The man’s plans for a comfortable future were short lived however; for death would visit him that same day. The man lost his life, his possessions, and because of his greed, he lost his eternal place with God.
When I was a child, my mother would often bake cookies. When she had finished using most of the cookie dough, she would give the bowl and spoon to my siblings and I. We would scrape the bowl and lick the spoon clean. To us, every crumb was a nugget of sweet creamy goodness. Whatever was not consumed was unfortunately wasted. God as well is not fond of wastefulness. Whenever one seeks to possess more than they can use, they engage in a worthless and futile endeavor. The Lord is greatly pleased when His children utilize their wealth to bless those in need. Nothing in God’s kingdom ever goes to waste. When asked how to prepare for the coming of the messiah, John the Baptist said, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food let him do likewise” (Luke 3: 11.)
Christians are required to employ their abundant possessions to glorify God, and to bless the needy. If you are wealthy put your money to work for The Lord. If you own property and you are not using it, offer it to someone who can. If your closet is overflowing, gather up the overflow and bring it to the thrift store. If you have excess time, don’t waste it; instead use it to love those who are hurting. If God has given you abilities and talents, exercise them constructively; use them to serve your fellows. No one is guaranteed tomorrow; put whatever you have been given in excess to work for God today. May His generosity fill your hearts; may the desire to serve and to provide for the needs of others become a newfound principle in your life; and may you find comfort in knowing that your earthly charity will produce eternal riches.
“Lord Heavenly Father, we come before You and ask that You help us to be generous toward You and toward those who are in need. Relieve our fears, so we can let go of greed and seek to use our abundance to bless others. As we become willing to give, may we procure eternal riches; riches without end; riches reserved for us in Your Heavenly Kingdom. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.
Jesus Speaks 