- Luke 12:16-21 - And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
- Matthew 6:19-21 - Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
True security and contentment are not found in the things we possess, but in trusting everything we have to God. In today's passage, Jesus Christ tells a parable about a rich man whose fields produced a bountiful harvest. Instead of sharing his surplus with others, he decided to tear down his barns, build larger ones, and keep everything for himself. He thought his accumulated wealth would secure years of comfortable living—eating, drinking, and enjoying life. The problem was not the man’s wealth, but how he chose to use it. His focus was entirely on himself: "my crops," "my barns," "my goods." This rich man chose not to share with those in need and not to be generous toward God. He believed that accumulating wealth would secure his future, thus confusing material abundance with true security. This parable reveals a deeper foolishness: humans often think they can satisfy the needs of their soul with what they possess. However, death came suddenly and demonstrated that spiritual needs can never be fully satisfied by things that bring physical comfort. Jesus says that this will be the fate of anyone "who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God" (verse 21). Being rich toward God means using what we have generously, understanding that everything given to us is not just for collecting and hoarding, but for stewarding and using for good purposes.
Reflection
How can what you have gathered in your 'barns' (your possessions) be used for the benefit of others and for the glory of God?
