READING: Luke 12-13
It’s hard not to see the world’s attention to material wealth—to what I have in the past simply called “stuff.” Just watch a few commercials, and you’ll see a greater focus on getting than on giving. Pay attention to unsolicited emails and pop-up advertisements, and you’ll know somebody’s paying attention to stuff you’ve been considering. “Get, get, get, and get some more” seems to be the theme. Even the world I live in—education—often focuses on the value of a degree in terms of the dollars a graduate might earn.
What Jesus reminds us today is that to live for possessions is foolish indeed. Like the rich fool in Jesus’ story, too many people, though, live for the temporary while also assuming tomorrow will be theirs. They build and build some more, living for self rather than for God while also anticipating days of wealth and ease. When the death angel unexpectedly knocks at their door, though, none of the “stuff” makes much difference. The “things” we have built will be left behind.
It’s just hard to remember that reality in a world that emphasizes the temporary. It’s hard to imagine that “this very night” could reveal our foolishness.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: What are you living for today?
PRAYER: “God, keep my head and heart focused on eternity—not on stuff.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Luke 14-17