I will build bigger barns

Perhaps you already know the parable about the rich man.......notice he is rich at the beginning of the story.......who has a bumper crop of grain and cannot sleep because his barns are not big enough to hold it all, and what will he do?

build bigger barns!!!!

Most of us have had a dilemma that has managed to keep us awake at night.  A conflict in scheduling, a difficult relative, a problem at work, the noise that the car is making.  The list could go on forever.  There is a wonderful release of pressure when the solution presents itself.  build bigger barns!!!

Now he can relax.  In fact, in view of his improved economic state, he can eat, drink and be merry!  It is time for him to roll over and slide gently into a night's good sleep.

Except......tomorrow will not come.  Tonight his soul will be required of him.  Tonight he returns to his maker.  Who, then, will inherit all those possessions he has stored up so faithfully?  Whose will they all be?  That's Jesus' parable.

So, is this rich man greedy.....or prudent?

I would ask what point Jesus is trying to make, but Jesus is very clear from the beginning.  "Take care!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."

So, what is greed?  Wanting more than you need?  with a little on the side, and some put away for a rainy day, and some put aside for the children, and some put aside for wild adventures?

Can greed be a lifestyle?  A value system?

Can you be poor and be greedy?  Is wealth always a sign of greed?

Tomorrow we ask:  Where in this story does the rich man go wrong?  Because we already have enough difficult questions for one day.

A life of generosity in all things

You chose to skip the chemical weed killer on your lawn this year.  You are convinced it is not a good choice in the long run for you or the environment.

Recycling is a way of life in your household.  You don't even really think about it any longer.  Waste and landfills sum up your reasons.

Six different activities demand your attention on a weekend and you decide that your family needs to slow down, eliminate distractions and play together more often.

Perhaps you have never realized: you are a steward: of creation, of resources, of your time.  Although we generally call it 'budgeting' you are also a steward of your financial resources.  You decide to devote a portion of your earnings here (mortgage, summer camp, Wi-Fi) and you decide not to devote money there (snowmobile, European vacation, designer clothes).  We devote our time to the causes we think are important.  We devote our family's resources to activities that build us up as family.  Lots of things cry out for your attention, your time and your dollars.  You need to make choices and allot varying amounts of each in your role as steward. 

What we value is revealed in the choices we make.  That is, we wish to support those things we value with our time and resources, and allow the others to fall by the wayside.  We put our 'money' where our values are.  "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Thank you for giving me the time it took to consider this post.