The Parable of the Rich Fool
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Lessons I can learn from the parable of the Rich Fool
Do you know what a fool is? If you’d asked me to define what a fool is I probably would have said: “someone who acts silly or does something without thinking of the consequences.” But if we look at the Bible we see an expanded definition. The bible says a fool is “reckless and careless” (Proverbs 14:16), lacks knowledge (Proverbs 14:7), ignores instruction (Proverbs 15:5), walks in darkness (Ecclesiastes 2:14a) and does not know God (Psalm 14:1). Our parable this week about the “Rich Fool” (Luke 12:13-21) tells the story of a rich man who God called a fool. The rich man became a fool when he failed to acknowledge that all good things come from God (James 1:7), when he lived as if he were the only one, having no concern for God or others. His business may have been flourishing but spiritually he was bankrupt. I don’t want to be a fool.
Rich toward God. The parable of the Rich Fool would be the antithesis of rich toward God. The rich man never gave a thought to the things God values. Jesus tells us: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And he continued, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:36-38) If we are to be rich toward God we must not spend our time and talents on the accumulation of material possessions or wealth for selfish pleasures, but use those God-given riches to serve Him and our neighbors. Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will supply every need of yours…”. God blesses us so we can bless others.
Life is knowing God NOT things. If I would spend the same amount of time in the Word of God that I spend researching a future purchase, how much better would I know God? Instead of going to Pinterest twenty times a day to see what I should make, bake or buy I would be better served going to the Bible app and seeing what God has for me.
What have you learned from the parable of the Rich Fool?
-Brenda Wooff