Luke 12:13-21: “Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
This parable is one that speaks to the heart, it is unforgettable. The story needs no explanation; its teaching is unmistakable. It is a story of judgment. Jesus had such a man in mind as He speaks this parable. Perhaps some of those who heard Him could remember the sudden death of a rich landowner whose unexpected death had been the talk of the city. He passes judgment on his life. The man who lived and planned in this manner was a fool.
The parable explains how it is that “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” It is a poor life when a person’s only possessions are outward and material. The life on which judgment was passed was poor and foolish, because it was not rich toward God. What did it lack? What qualities were wanting? What are the proofs of this rich man’s real poverty?
HIS THE LACK OF THANKSGIVING
He was rich, and his ground brought forth abundantly, but his heart is never moved by a feeling of gratitude for his prosperity. It never crossed his mind that God was the giver of this increase. He thinks only of “my fruits,” “my goods,” “my barns.” He speaks only of himself; “I” is his only counselor. Psalms 24:1-4 says: “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters.” Most likely he attributed his prosperity to his own skills, his sharpness at a bargain, his wise planning, and his hard work. Perhaps, like many others, he boasted of the little he had when he started life, and spoke of his present worth with pride.
The Bible gives us a similar situation in the book of Daniel and its results; Daniel 4:29-31: “At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.”
This rich man did not see that God had some part in his prosperity. That of itself is a proof of poverty. A grateful person is a great person in the sight of God. Thankfulness of spirit is one of God’s treasures. It blesses him that gives, and him that receives. Pride and presumption are children of unthakfulness. Psalms 100 tells us: “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
Not to be able to see God’s goodness is a greater lack than color blindness. It fails to see all the glory and goodness of God in the world around them. To be lacking in thankfulness means that we are poor in ourselves.
HIS LACK OF HLPFUL SERVICE
The man in this parable is faced with a dilemma concerning his riches. He has no room where to store his harvest. He takes counsel with himself as to what he should do. In an instant he comes up with the solution to his dilemma. He decides to tear down his old barns and build bigger ones, and there he will store all of his harvest. He will carry on his business as before, but on a larger scale. No other thought comes to him. But this, too, is a proof of his poverty. He has no intentions of giving, only of getting; no plan of using, only of storing. He sees none of the possibilities that are in his hand. He has no higher thought of the use of prosperity than to store it in a barn. He does not understand that all gifts come from God and are gifts for men, to be used as such in the service of God. This man never dreamed of stewardship or service. The prosperity which came from his fields should have taught him better. The increase came not from storing, but from sowing. Had he used his wealth as he used his grain, putting them out to service in the help of man, true riches would have come to him. He would have been rich toward God and rich in himself.
HIS LACK OF ANY WORTHY OUTLOOK OR INTEREST
What are his thoughts for the future? What hopes and plans does he cherish? “Soul, thou hast much goods stored up for many years. Take it ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” He plays with the thought of retiring from business. He has more than enough to live on. There is no need to rise early and toil late or endure the heat of the day. He will take it easy for the rest of his life, he will enjoy himself. He is his own master. All that he has is for him. He will be a glutton and drink the fines wine. His pleasures are of the flesh. No higher vision dawns upon his soul. He has no interest or desire of spiritual matters at the moment, God and the hereafter are absent from his plans of life. “Many days” is the limit of his outlook. Man’s highest interests are without interest of God. The thought of goodness, the love of truth, the joy of helping, the pleasure of fellowship with God are of no interest to him right now. His life is so poor and uncaring that it knows not what it lacks.
IT IS SEEN IN WHAT HE LEAVES BEHIND HIM, AND TAKES WITH HIM
He is summoned thus by the voice that none can disobey. He had planned for “many days,” and he has not even one. “This night,” in the midst of plans and hopes, the unexpected surprises him. Death come calling. What does he leave behind him? His wealth, his goods, his barns. Nothing more. God reminds us in Psalms 39:6 who and what we are: “Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them.”
No one rises up to bless his memory. His mourners are few if any at his funeral. He leaves no enduring monument in deeds of kindness, or of helpful service, or in an honored name. ¿What does he take with him? Nothing of what he had. His treasures were of the earth, and the earth keeps them. He only takes his character, such as it was. And with that he entered eternity a beggar, and a fool to await the judgment, “then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
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