Blake Allen
Dunbar Cave Campus Pastor
Luke 12:16-21
16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 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. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
The American dream carries with it the notion that any, regardless of what class they were born into can become successful through hard work and perseverance. The opportunity to become financial successful, happy, and secure is the dream shared by those in the land of opportunity. Individual rights, freedom, democracy, and equality are no doubt important. We are all called by God to work hard, live a life of integrity, and be a good citizen. But what is the end goal of our pursuits?
It is interesting to me that in Luke 12:16-21, the rich man was not condemned for being rich. The problem was what he did with his richness. If my end goal is simply to be rich, merry, secure, comfortable, and to amass a bunch of stuff for my self, then I am rich toward myself and not God. Plus when I die, I cannot take it with me.
That may be the American dream for many but it is not God’s dream for our lives. Our resources are God’s resources. What if we looked at what we have been given as a resource for God and His kingdom? What if we considered our “wealth” as a bridge to the gospel that can affect someone’s eternal standings? What if our generosity towards the poor, broken, and less fortunate opened a door for a gospel conversation.
Being rich towards God and His kingdom requires that we view our treasures as God’s treasure that we are simply called to steward. The answer is not to amass more money, more toys, more stuff, a more comfortable life, etc. The answer is to be rich towards God. What are we doing with what God has given us? Are we making a difference for the kingdom of God with the resources we have been given by God?