Week 29: Friday, The god of Self

Addressing the problem of greed, Jesus told a parable about a

selfish, rich farmer who had produced an abundant harvest but had

insufficient storage space. “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. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have

ample goods laid up f

Transcript

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Welcome to Hearing God's Stories, a daily devotional on the parables presented by the Jekins Institute.

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This is week 29. Friday, the parable of the rich fool, the God of self. Our text is from Luke 12, 16 through 21. Our author is Steve Lusk, and I'm Jeff Johnson. Addressing the problem of greed, Jesus told a parable about a selfish rich farmer who had produced an abundant harvest but had insufficient storage space. 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, and I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, be merry. Luke 12, 18 through 19, the English Standard Version. The plentiful producer of this parable was concerned only about himself. Did you notice all the I and my statements in this story? He left God out of his plans. Self became his God. What emptiness this rich man faced when confronted with the imminent end of his life? If your life or mine were to end tonight, would we be called a fool because we've not cultivated a rich relationship with God? To avoid this foolish end of life, what should I do? Reverence for God is a good starting place. Proverbs one seven says, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Jesus said, Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who has built his house on the rock, and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. Matthew 7, 24 and 25. Jesus taught and embodied selflessness. For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10, 45. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. He gave up his divine privileges, he took the humble position of a slave, and was born as a human being. Philippians 2, 5 through 7, the New Living Translation. Today I will put aside selfish desires and like Jesus, be humbly obedient to the will of God.

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