Building Bigger Does Not Make You Better
In Seattle scaffolds and massive cranes seem to be everywhere you look. Our mindset here is the bigger the better, and he who buys the most airspace wins bigger and for sure better. The Seattle area is considered wealthy because of the millionaires living here who are associated with companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and that is just to name a couple.
As I observe new building constructions and our new rail system near to our home, I cannot help but think of the man in scripture who kept building bigger and better barns for his goods. [Jesus said]: “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.” Then he told them this story: “The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: ‘What can I do? My barn isn’t big enough for this harvest.’ Then he said, ‘Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll gather in all my grain and goods, and I’ll say to myself, Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!’ Just then God showed up and said, ‘Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?’ That’s what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God. This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:15-21 The Message Bible)
"How much was the rich man worth?" we ask when a man dies, and we expect an answer in the amount that stood to his credit, and on which his estate must pay taxes. I am not against corporate or personal prosperity as long as it doesn’t consume our lives; as long as we don’t dance down the path of ‘he who has the most wins.’
Here are some lessons we can learn from this parable:
Life does not consist in what we possess, but in what we are; not in goods, but in goodness; not in quantity, but in quality. The true worth of a man is the love, humility, generosity, and sweet reasonableness which characterize him. Take away some people's wealth, and, as in the case of the rich man in the parable, you have nothing left. But, take away all things from John or Paul, or any number of the Bible characters, and you have an abundance left which makes them the millionaires of all time! "Poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing all things." (2 Cor. 6:10 NIV)
As I observe new building constructions and our new rail system near to our home, I cannot help but think of the man in scripture who kept building bigger and better barns for his goods. [Jesus said]: “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.” Then he told them this story: “The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: ‘What can I do? My barn isn’t big enough for this harvest.’ Then he said, ‘Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll gather in all my grain and goods, and I’ll say to myself, Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!’ Just then God showed up and said, ‘Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?’ That’s what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God. This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:15-21 The Message Bible)
"How much was the rich man worth?" we ask when a man dies, and we expect an answer in the amount that stood to his credit, and on which his estate must pay taxes. I am not against corporate or personal prosperity as long as it doesn’t consume our lives; as long as we don’t dance down the path of ‘he who has the most wins.’
Here are some lessons we can learn from this parable:
1. He gave himself all the credit. He didn’t give thanks to God for the increase in his crops.
2. He was selfish. He stored the surplus for himself without thinking there were multitudes of poor and needy souls around.
3. He thought his material possessions would fill his spiritual hunger within; that things could replace love, tenderness, or even human sympathy.
Life does not consist in what we possess, but in what we are; not in goods, but in goodness; not in quantity, but in quality. The true worth of a man is the love, humility, generosity, and sweet reasonableness which characterize him. Take away some people's wealth, and, as in the case of the rich man in the parable, you have nothing left. But, take away all things from John or Paul, or any number of the Bible characters, and you have an abundance left which makes them the millionaires of all time! "Poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing all things." (2 Cor. 6:10 NIV)