Saturday's Scripture Story
Parable of the Rich Fool
While the story for this week centers around giving – it comes in a negative format. The parable is shared by Jesus after He is approached to arbitrate a disagreement over an inheritance. Instead He teaches this story. The man in story – spoiler alert – turns out to be a rich but foolish man. Though he had plenty stored up, more than he needed, he used it only on himself.
That leads us to our final teaching about giving this week. Among the various lessons Paul taught his son-in-the-faith Timothy was this one from 1 Timothy 6:17
1 Timothy 6:17
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
There are a couple of nice, appropriate points early in the verse for those well blessed financially. Don’t be arrogant. Put your hope in God rather than wealth. But then comes the kicker. ENJOY what God has given you. Let’s keep things in a godly order: Along with learning to give for the sake and benefit of others – family, friends, and strangers – we are encouraged to enjoy what God has given us in life.
Enjoy the life God has given to us. What a nice thought.
Luke 16:1-15
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 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.”
16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18 “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. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
20 “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?’
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Prayer
Teach me Father to be rich toward You, putting my hope in You and not wealth. Show me how to rightfully enjoy all You have lavished upon me from love to forgiveness to friendship, church family and fellowship, health and home to name a few. May my generosity mirror Yours in Jesus’ name. Amen.