” ‘Your money or your life?’ We know what to do when a burglar makes this demand of us, but not when God does.”- Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic’s Notebook
“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.”- Luke 12:20-21
Andy Stanley concludes Chapter 15 of Enemies of the Heart as he quips that the landowner in The Parable of the Rich Fool suffers from BBS – Bigger Barn Syndrome. This syndrome, Pastor Stanley adds, characterizes those whose hearts greed damages. Furthermore, we must keep in mind that greed always looks for something ‘good’ to hide behind.
However, the rich fool assumed that his abundance of stuff guaranteed an abundance of time. But, Andy cautions, the two have nothing to do with each other. And, the landowner soon learns the hard way that live doesn’t equal the amount of his possessions. He runs out of time before he runs out of stuff. Andy explains:
“As it turns out, the landowner is more dependent on God than he realized, for he’s entirely dependent on God for his allotment of time. Too bad he didn’t see that he was equally dependent on God for his allotment of stuff. . . . Someone else will end up with everything he has ‘earned’ and consequently ‘deserved’ and therefore stored up. Someone else will end up with the very stuff he hoarded for himself instead of depending on God’s provision.”
In conclusion, Pastor Stanley notes, this parable (a) defines greed from God’s perspective and (b) provides a simple remedy: generosity.
Today’s question: What Bible verses point you to the correct choice between your money or your life? Please share.
Coming Monday: the new Short Meditation, “Mechanic Bob vs. Mr. Dirt”
Tomorrow’s blog: “The essence of greed – me first”
