The Storyteller: The Rich Fool Day 2

Wanting
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to give me my share of the inheritance that our father left us.”
Luke 12:13 (GW)

The issue was crystal clear to our Lord. The person in the crowd (we’ll call him John Doe- JD for short) had a coveting problem! Apparently JD was a younger son, whose older brother had received the entire family inheritance, and he wanted a half!

Our Lord’s reply was a stiff indictment on JD! Covetousness was sin! The parable then was just an illustration. How stunning our Lord’s words must have sounded when He called the rich young man in the parable a fool, and told of the eternal consequences of his foolishness!
And JD had to be even more shocked at these words, “This is how it will be with whoever (including JD) stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

St. Paul wonderfully defines “being rich toward God”. “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” I Timothy 6:17-19.

Pray that our gracious Lord strengthen each of us in faith to live richly in His love and care!