Don’t Be a Fool
Scripture: Luke 12:20-21 (NIV)
20 “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? 21 “This is how it will be with
whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Devotion:
The parable of the rich fool serves
as a stark warning against the pitfalls of greed and materialism. The wealthy
man in the narrative, blessed with an abundance of crops, made the fatal error
of tearing down his barns to construct larger ones, all to hoard his goods. He
believed he had secured his future, paving the way for a life of comfort and
pleasure. However, God, in His wisdom, branded him a fool and decreed that his
life would be taken that very night, leaving behind all his amassed wealth. He
had failed to be rich toward God, instead living solely for his own desires.
What does it mean to be rich toward
God? It means acknowledging that everything we have comes from Him and belongs
to Him. It means to use our resources wisely and generously, not hoarding them
for ourselves, but sharing them with others in need. It means investing in
things with eternal value, not temporal ones. It means to seek first His
kingdom and His righteousness, not our own comfort and security.
Jesus said that life does not
consist of the abundance of possessions but the quality of our relationship
with God and others. He said that we should not worry about what we eat, drink,
or wear, but trust that God knows our needs and will provide for us. He said we
should not be afraid but rather seek His treasure in heaven, where moth and
rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. He said that where
our treasure is, our heart will be also.
How can we apply this parable to
our lives today? We can scrutinize our hearts, questioning what we are living
for and what we are accumulating. We can assess our spending and giving habits,
ensuring they align with our priorities and values. We can pray, seeking God's
guidance to be content with what we have and generous with what we give. We
must remember that we are stewards, not owners, of all that God has entrusted
to us, and that we will be held accountable. We must live in the light of
eternity, not the mirage of security. We must be rich toward God, not fools.
Prayer:
Lord,
we admit that we can act like fools with money. We desire to live as people who
put our treasure in heaven. Give aid to our repentance from behaving foolishly
with our time, talent, and treasure. Let us act as children of light and give
our lives to you fully and completely. Amen.
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