JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A Segment explores the question, “What is the meaning behind the Parable of the Rich Fool?”

Jesus told this parable in Luke 12 to show that life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.

A rich man had a bumper crop year. 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 ears. 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?” Jesus said, “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves, but is not rich toward God.”

The point of this parable is not to suggest that it is wrong to save money or plan for retirement, but it does highlight the folly of storing up for ourselves treasures on earth without storing up treasures in heaven in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com