In the parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus answers a critical question for us, “What gives us meaning in our life?”
The context or background for the parable of the Rich Fool is found in Luke 12:1-12. With a crowd of thousands around them Jesus tells the disciples in Luke 12:1 Jesus tells the disciples to beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.
Why were the Pharisees, hypocrites? Because in Luke 11:53-54 we’re told the reason the Pharisees were following Jesus was to try to trip him up with something he might say. They weren’t interested in what he had to say about God. They were jealous that so many people were following him instead of them, so they wanted to prove Jesus was a fraud.
This warning to the disciples to not be like the Pharisees is interrupted in Luke 12:13-15 by a man who wants Jesus to tell his brother to divide the family inheritance. This display of greed by the man leads Jesus into telling the disciples that life does not consist of an abundance of possessions.
According to Jewish law in matters of inheritance, a Rabbi could settle a dispute among family members. But settling disputes over possessions wasn’t the reason Jesus came into the world. Instead, Jesus used the situation to teach the disciples what truly mattered in life. The question we all ask is; What gives us meaning in our life? Or maybe a better way to ask this question is; What holds our lives together?
To answer this question Jesus tells the disciples the parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21). If life isn’t held together by a bunch of stuff, then what does hold life together? What does give life meaning?
Jesus didn’t say life doesn’t consist of “any” possessions. We need some possessions in life. Jesus said life doesn’t consist of the “abundance” of possessions. In this passage “abundance” means more than you can use. We spend our time obtaining things we will never use. We work for the money we may never spend. The things we work for end up possessing us rather than us possessing the things. What holds our life together is spiritual and eternal. So, presents a parable to explain what gives meaning in life. Remember, a parable is an earthly story that explains a spiritual truth.
In The Opening (Luke 12:16-17) of the parable we’re told that the ground produced an abundant harvest. Again, abundant means more than this rich man could use. Now the man saw this harvest as meaningful to his life so he wanted to protect it. What this man and we forget is the abundant harvest was because of the providence of God (James 1:17).
This man lived as though there was no God. He didn’t seek God about what he should do with the excess harvest or even acknowledge God for the harvest. He acted like he accomplished this by himself. He thought to ‘Himself’, what shall I do, not what would God want me to do?
What gives you meaning in your Life?
Foolish Answer #1: What I can build with my own hands.
Spiritual Answer #1: Thankful acknowledgment of God’s providence.
Next, we see that the man puts a Plan together (Luke 12:18-19). He wasn’t content with his good fortune but wanted to ensure it was protected. He thought he would build bigger barns, store his riches, and kick back for the rest of his life. Not content. His focus was on living an easy life now rather than life being prepared for his afterlife. Eat drink and be merry now, and pay for later.
What gives you meaning in your Life? What holds our life together?
Foolish Answer #2: Being in control and doing what I want to do.
Spiritual Answer #2: Knowing God is in control and following his will.
But something our rich man didn’t plan for is The Unplanned (Luke 12:20). The rich man thought he was in control, but he wasn’t. He forgot how fragile and temporary is for us all. God had another plan in store for him.
When we see life as temporary, it makes us appreciate every breath we take, every relationship we have, and every blessing we get to enjoy (Psalm 103:14-16). When we know how temporary life is, it gives the life we have meaning.
What gives you meaning in your Life? What holds your life together?
Foolish Answer #3: Distract me from my mortality.
Spiritual Answer #3: Accepting life is temporary makes my time precious.
Finally, we come to The Outcome of our Rich Fool (Luke 12:21). He wasted his opportunities in life to put up riches with God for his afterlife. He was rich temporarily and eternally poor.
There is no issue with being successful in this life as long as you are successful in the next life first (Luke 14:12-14). It is foolish and short-sighted to seek riches for ourselves and not toward God (Proverbs 19:17).
What gives you meaning in your Life? What holds our life together?
Foolish Answer #4: Get everything I can for me. (But we can’t take it with us!)
Spiritual Answer #4: Only what I do in Christ will last.
When we spend our strength, our mind, and our heart showing the love of God toward others it gives meaning to our life now, and to our life to come.
From this parable of the Rich Fool Jesus taught us all how to seek to be rich toward God. How do we become rich toward God?
- By being thankful for God’s providence.
- By acknowledging and following God’s will.
- By living for God daily like there’s no tomorrow.
- By being rich in the Spirit of Christ (which includes being rich in faith, grace, forgiveness, love, the word, and in good works toward others.
May these words of Christ find meaning in your life.
