Knowing The Word in Luke 12:13-21, The Parable of the Rich Fool

A man wants Jesus to declare an inheritance issue in his favor, but Jesus rejects his request and uses the opportunity to teach. Covetousness is a temptation that reveals the attitude of your heart. Jesus says he came to bring people to God, not possessions to people, which is an appropriate teaching in this age of affluence. The stupid thinking of the man is that he was in control of his own future. Jesus says that people who are not rich toward God are fools.

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Prayer: I’m glad to be alive—to breathe and walk; to laugh and cry; to see life’s beauty and its grandeur. I know, too, its beastliness, squalor; its poverty, disease and hate. As I give thanks for all my blessings, give me, Lord, the will to share with others what I have so undeservedly been given. Make me loving, courteous, considerate; give me a listening ear, a compassionate heart and a generous mind. Let me live my life in your sight for others so that they, too, may find you and give thanks.

Brother John Charles Vockler