Jesus often taught in parables. It makes sense. Not only was the Savior/Messiah supposed to teach in parables, but parables give us stories that help us relate. When he teaches in parables, though, there is often a clear teaching that brings up the story. In this case, the teaching is about greed. Don't be greedy. Life is not about gathering more stuff. He who dies with the most stuff still dies. His story, though, makes the point better.
And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' "This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:16-21 NIV)
Notice the punchline of the story? "This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God." We need to be careful, then. The story is not just a story. It's a warning. Pursue money without God and you will get what you wish for. You will leave this life, and your money, without God.
How about you? Does greed get in the way of your walk with God? Do you pursue money without God? Do you try to pursue money and God, serving two masters? Are you rich toward God with everything you have?
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