The Parable of the Rich Fool
April 21, 2020
Commentary
This passage explains Jesus teaching against covetousness. It was prompted by a man in the crowd who wanted Him to solve a family problem concerning an inheritance (vv. 13-15). Jesus knew his real problem was covetousness so he told a parable about a rich man who had unquenchable thirst for getting more and more. This parable of the “Rich Fool” gives us five principles of what happens when our hearts are focused exclusively on ourselves:
We do not give God credit for the things He has done (v. 16). GREEDWe make plans but leave God out (vv. 17-18). EXCLUDEWe consider spending our resources only on ourselves (v. 19). IGNOREWe store up our treasures in the wrong places (v. 20). HOARDWe will find ourselves in conflict with God’s plan for our lives (v. 21). OPPOSE Many Christians are infected with covetousness and do not know it. It may be a thirst for money or things, or even a thirst for position and power. Jesus made it clear that true life does not depend on our possessions. There is certainly nothing wrong with following good business principles, or even of saving for the future (I Timothy 5:8). However, selfishness motivated by covetousness is wrong.
Application
I do not want to be satisfied with the things that only money can buy. To do so will put me in danger of losing things that money cannot buy. My natural tendency is to be a greedy and covetous person.
Luke 12:13– 21 (NET)
13 Then someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But Jesus said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 He then told them a parable: “The land of a certain rich man produced an abundant crop, 17 so he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to myself, “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, but is not rich toward God.”
Illustration: Poison on a Hill of Stinging Ants
Recently I laid a small circle of poison around a hill of stinging ants. Thinking the tiny granules of poison were food, the ants began to pick them up and carry them throughout the colony. I returned later to see how well the poison was working. Hundreds of the stinging ants were carrying the poison down into their hill. Then I noticed a hole in the circle of poison. Some of the poison was moving the opposite way-away from the hill. Some smaller, nonstinging ants had found this “food” and were stealing it from their ant neighbors. Thinking they were getting the other ants’ treasure, they poisoned themselves. When we see someone with more than we have, we must beware. The hunger to beg, borrow, or steal our way into what is theirs may poison us spiritually. (Lou Nicholes – Missionary/Author).