O my soul,

Would you like to be rich? Really rich? It is desperately important to be so, because otherwise you will have nothing.

And [Jesus] 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.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 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. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’” But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

― Luke 12:15-21

Of course this is about being rich towards God. What did you think I was asking about?

We encountered this parable last week in the context of being looked after by our Heavenly Father but we didn’t adequately consider being rich towards God, so let’s do that now.

And let’s begin with Jesus’ own commentary.

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness.”

― Luke 12:15a

To covet means to long to possess, and not only what belongs to others. Coveting one’s own possessions is a perennial snare to the one who would be rich towards God, for such coveting creates treasures on earth in blatant disregard of Jesus’ command.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

― Matthew 6:19-21

How tragic to convert a potential asset for the Kingdom into the casualty of moth and rust.

And what else did Jesus say?

“Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

― Luke 12:33-34

Here it is again. Your possessions are assets for the Kingdom, and they wholly belong to the King. So use them for Kingdom work and you will be rich with treasure in heaven which is immune to both moth and rust.

Those of us who live in modern Western affluence must be particularly vigilant. For ours is a culture of rugged individualism and indifference towards those in need. O my soul, beware lest you make your benchmark that of the world around you.

For Jesus’ warning continues into the parable of the master returning from the wedding feast.

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.”

― Luke 12:35-36

This is surely about living lives consistent with what we have received, and at all times. We won’t get into this now, except to notice a portent for any who would excuse their own lack of concern for others by using the benchmark of the world.

“And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”

― Luke 12:47-48

Jesus expects far more of those within the church than those without. Of course he does! We who have so richly received and who know his will, how then could we hold back in blessing others?

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

― James 2:14-17

Dead, no less!

And know that loving one another has a high cost. Will you bear it? It helps to remember the cost which was borne for you at Calvary.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

― 1 John 3:16-24

O my soul, do what pleases God in loving one another and in every other way and you will be rich beyond imagining! 🙏