Luke 12:13-21 (NRSV)
Read Luke 12:13-21 on biblegateway.com
Verse 13Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." Verse 14But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" Verse 15And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." Verse 16Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. Verse 17And he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' Verse 18Then he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. Verse 19And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' Verse 20But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' Verse 21So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God."
Devotion
In fundraising circles we often joke that if people want to extend life, they should include the church in their wills. It seems the ones who do live long lives!
Long life was not a problem for the farmer in Jesus’ parable of the rich fool. The problem was that he thought the produce from his farm belonged to him. It never occurred to him that in a moment, by his death, he would lose it all and then, “whose will it be?”
All we have is gift from God. God was the owner before it was entrusted to our care. God is the owner once we leave this earth. God trusts us to use the gifts, invest the gifts, multiply the gifts – and plan for their use once we’re gone.
“Whose will they be?” They are always God’s. “Who will use them?” That is our responsibility as stewards.
Prayer
O God, thank you for entrusting us with your riches. Give us the will to care for and share your abundance. Amen.