Like most societies, the one in which Jesus lived was pretty
focussed on economic matters. When Jesus was asked to make a judgement in a
particular family dispute (Luke 12:13), he took the opportunity to put monetary
matters into perspective. Jesus told a simple little parable from which we can
deduce quite a bit.
Jesus had detected that the heart attitude of the questioner
in verse 13 was overly fixated on his financial situation to the point of
obsession. In the parable told from verse 16, Jesus tells of a rich farmer who
has done very well with his crop.
One notices that it is not the rich man’s efforts that have
led to his success, but rather what?? It is the “land” that has “produced
abundantly”! And we should note that “land” like this should always been seen
as a gift from God. But this is not how the rich farmer saw things, as
he proceeded to keep all the good produce to himself.
When this rich man asked himself the question (v.17), “What
should I do, for I have no place to store my crops”, the suggestion of giving
some away never seems to have entered his head. The question wasn’t asked as to
what might ethically be required of him in this matter. This man’s default
position was to respond to an over-supply by tearing down smaller barns and
building bigger ones.
Maybe this would have been the action considered normal and
sensible by others according to the prevailing culture?!? This is what you do
when presented with this situation. But aren’t we required to think a bit more
laterally than this?!? This would certainly allow the rich man to store more,
but how ever is he going to consume all this
produce himself. Apart from the possibility of gluttony here, there is a direct
suggestion of waste.
There was no thought of sharing with those not doing so
well! More crops automatically equated to larger barns. And anyone who hoards
like this has to face the issue of having a problematical ‘possession
addiction’. This is then borne out by the following comments from the rich man,
"Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be
merry” (v.19). The only person worth consulting on this matter was himself! And
added to his selfishness, we have the attitudes of complacency and laziness.
These attitudes are of course founded on his previous
unwillingness to share his current crop and then work productively toward
future harvests. With the mention of this man addressing his “Soul” about his
feelings of ‘contentment’, we are led to see that this is not just an
economic decision-making problem – this all derives from his misaligned
spiritual state. The needs of others have not touched this man’s soul
(or spirit) at all!
This is addressed as Jesus suggests that God sees things in
very different ways. When God blesses us in a variety of ways in life, there is
a call upon us to invest well in response! And this good investing should
happen as we go, not something that is left to later or more personally
convenient times.
How would you describe good investments??? What is a good investment?
Maybe ... an appropriate and helpful application of our
resources! This of course would include much more than our money, assets and
possessions; also our time and our talents ... in fact this is about the
investment of our whole lives! We read Paul’s words in Romans 12:1, “I appeal
to you ... brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God [the various provisions
e.g. land, forgiveness, etc] to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy
and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship”.
What will our lives been known
for, and for what will they be remembered? Jesus concluded the parable in Luke
chapter 12 with a comment about being “rich toward God”. How can we be rich
toward God?? This is taking that ‘appropriate and helpful application of our
resources’ directly into the spiritual realm.
Maybe ... this means ... God gets
(the) first and (the) best!! God desires all good things to be brought back
into God’s “storehouse” i.e. the service of God’s Kingdom. This is an
application of resources that helps make God known to others. And we should do
this voluntarily, happily, even joyfully! This is especially our spiritual
giftedness, and our various ways of being creative in community, but also our
simple everyday lives. Jesus is saying that this rich man’s approach to life
is, at best absurd, and at worst criminal.
We also read the famous narrative
about the “poor widow” bringing her offering to the temple (in Luke 21:1-6).
The “two small copper coins” would have been worth very very little (compared
to the previous gifts), but was likely a much much greater percentage of her
available resources than anyone else had given. And Jesus didn’t miss the broad
significance of this.
We often remark on the amazing and
sacrificial nature of this offering, however to stop there misses the major
point. This is because we miss the context of the verses that follow and the
verses that come before. Let’s go back to the way that the previous chapter
concludes (20:45-47).
In the hearing of all the people
[Jesus] said to the disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around
in long robes, and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to
have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets. They
devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They
will receive the greater condemnation.
These self same religious leaders,
while seeking religious honour, were part of an economic system that led to the
poor getting poorer, and widows literally losing their homes to their
creditors! These “scribes” themselves may have even been the ones offering
loans at high interest rates and then foreclosing as soon as they got the
chance.
After we remark on the
magnificence of this poor woman’s gift, we then should be horrified that she
had to make such an offering in the face of the oppression she was living
under, the total lack of concern and care that was being shown to her, and on
top of that, as we read verse 21:5, the ways such offerings were being used.
And then we should be thoroughly
captured by the fact that this poor woman gave to the functioning of the
temple, in the firm knowledge that nothing would return to her (in terms of any
practical help) due to the way the place was being run.
Despite her oppression, this “poor
widow” was indeed being “rich toward God”. Her heart attitude could bring tears
to our eyes. But then our next emotion should be one of shock, because this
“poor widow” has now made herself even more vulnerable – she had actually
increased her personal hardship through her giving.
This all takes us back to good and
bad investments. Jesus certainly again made his point about the intolerable
situation of having a temple all decked out with beautiful stones and other
expensive and extravagant items, while there were God’s children who could not
even afford a good meal or a proper place to lay their head. Good investments
are those made toward the well-being of people, not the beautification of
buildings.
Such decadence and the misguided
priorities this represents, will lead to this very temple being destroyed
again. A society economically divided against itself cannot stand! A society so
spiritually poor needs help.
Valuable resources from the
community purse misspent on unnecessary luxuries (in the face of the homeless
poor) will come to nothing in God’s economy. Valuable resources hoarded only
for personal use will also come to nothing in God’s economy.
Let’s consider the need to invest
all our various resources wisely – time, giftedness and assets. God seeks
giving and generous hearts to address the inequalities and injustices in our
society, at the same time as drawing attention to the graceful and loving God
that we serve and worship. Those who have humbly received God’s grace will be
keen to be broadly generous to the widow (and the widower), to the orphan and
refugee, to the homeless and unemployed.
Each of us has no doubt given of
ourselves and our resources in a variety of ways to help those in need and
advance the cause of Jesus. So ... thank you for giving to the Lord > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFrdJ2V3r7Y.
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