Luke 12:13-21
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “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?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:13-21 (NIV)
Ever met someone who’s got a five-year plan for their five-year plan? That’s kind of the vibe we get from the guy in Jesus’ parable—the rich man with a bumper crop and a blueprint for bigger barns. He’s living the dream: overflowing harvest, early retirement, and a future full of “eat, drink, and be merry.” Honestly, it sounds like a pretty sweet setup… until God shows up and calls him a fool.
Ouch.
Jesus tells this story after someone in the crowd tries to drag Him into a family inheritance dispute. Instead of playing financial referee, Jesus tells a story and warns everyone about the danger of greed. “Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions,” He says (v. 15). Translation: your worth isn’t measured by your bank account, your barn size, or how many gadgets you can cram into a junk drawer.
The rich man’s mistake wasn’t that he had a good harvest—it was that he thought it was all for him. He never asked, “What does God want me to do with this?” He didn’t consider sharing, blessing others, or investing in something eternal. He just built bigger barns and planned a buffet.
But then the plot twist: his life ends that night. No time to enjoy the feast, no chance to revise the plan. All that grain? Left behind. All that comfort? Gone. And the question lingers: What did he actually gain?
Jesus wraps it up with a mic-drop moment, a wake-up call for us: “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God” (v. 21). Being “rich toward God” means living generously, loving deeply, and investing in things that outlast barns and buffets—like people, purpose, and the Kingdom.
So maybe today’s the day to check our spiritual portfolio. Are we hoarding blessings or sharing them? Are we chasing comfort or pursuing calling? Because barns rot, but grace multiplies.
Questions for Reflection:
- What assumptions do I make about security, and where am I placing my trust?
- In what ways am I tempted to define my life by possessions or achievements?
- What does a life “rich toward God” look like practically for me this week?
- Who can I bless today with an act of generosity or service?
Prayer:
Father, remind me daily that my life does not consist in the abundance of my possessions, but in the richness of my relationship with You. Help me to hold loosely to material things and tightly to eternal truths. Teach me to be generous with my time, my resources, and my love—living each day with the joy of investing in things that truly matter. May I reflect Your heart in the way I give, serve, and trust. Amen.
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