Be Rich toward God (Luke 12:13-21)

Be Rich toward God

 

Luke 12:13-21

 

Today’s word is Jesus’ parable of the rich fool. When Jesus was with a crowd, a man came forward and said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Probably this man was in dispute with his brother over a fortune left by their parents. For this matter, he wanted to get Jesus’ mediation. “The fair and equal distribution of wealth” is an important part of social justice. Thus, Jesus should be involved in this man’s pitiful case and help him. But Jesus turned down his case, saying, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” And Jesus said to the people, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Jesus rather gave the man a warning, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.” According to Jesus’ word, the man’s problem was not “the loss of property caused by his selfish brother.” His problem was “greed in his inside.” Jesus gave the word of truth. “Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” This is what we are going to think about today. In order to explain the meaning of this word, Jesus told the parable of the rich fool.

 

Actually, the term “rich fool” is itself a contradictory expression, especially in a capitalist society like ours. It is because “being a wealthy man” proves that he is a wise man. In his book To Have or To Be, German Philosopher Erich Fromm said, “The norms by which society functions also mold the character of its members. In an industrial society, these norms are the wish to acquire property, to keep it, and to increase it, i.e. to make a profit, and those who own property are admired and envied as superior beings.” This is true. In a capitalist society, wealth is life and treasure, and it is wisdom to know how to acquire, keep, and increase wealth. Thus, the term “rich fool” doesn’t make sense. As long as he is rich, he doesn’t deserve to be called “a fool.” But Jesus called the man “You fool!” Why is he a fool? It is because life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. In other words, “the abundance of possessions” does not make him rich.

 

 In Jesus’ parable, this man harvested a good crop from his ground. He built large barns in order to store his grains and his goods. And he said to himself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” But on that night, 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?” This rich man had a large fortune. But in God’s eye, he was not rich at all. Rather, he didn’t have anything, even not his own life. For many years, he had worked hard to amass the great wealth, but at the very moment to start tasting the sweetness of his wealth, he lost everything. It was because his life was built on “the abundance of possessions.”

 

Erich Fromm says that there are two modes in people’s life: one is “the having mode,” and the other is “the being mode.” In the having mode, “I” is identified with “what I have.” This person finds the meaning of his existence in “what he has.” When he has a lot, he feels he is great. On the contrary, when he has nothing, he feels he is nothing. This mode is also applied when he evaluates others. He evaluates others’ character and ability based on how rich they are or how much money they make. To those who live in the having mode, what matters most is how to acquire more property and to keep it. And the inner nature driving this mode of life seeking greater wealth is “selfishness” and “laziness.”

 

Having stored plenty of grain and goods, the rich fool said to himself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” In this rich man’s life, there were no others. There was only “I.” He built large barns for his grain and goods, and just for himself, he created a comfortable paradise in which he would enjoy an easy life, eating, drinking and being merry. Of course, he might have worked hard to accumulate his property. But his dream was, with the abundant possessions, enjoying such a pleasant easy life. To him, living a life as selfish and lazy as he wanted was freedom, life, and happiness. And finally when he reached the goal, he felt the greatest happiness. He disconnected himself from all the others. And he set himself free from all laborious works. Through his large fortune, he wanted to live an easy life just for himself.

 

Selfishness and laziness are people’s nature. And relying on “the abundance of possessions,” we can live a selfish and lazy life, namely, “a happy life,” as much as we want. And this is the life we all pursue and envy. In God’s eye, however, this rich man is a “dead man.” His life is like a huge tomb with no light, no movement, no vital sign from inside. The rich man is a dead man trapped in the tomb. A selfish and lazy life relying on large property is itself “a prison.” In contrast to the having-mode life, Erich Fromm talks about the “being-mode” life. According to him, this mode is hardly describable. It is because, while having is visible and tangible, “being” is invisible and infinitely diverse from person to person like fingerprints. Still about its fundamental character, he said that the being-mode life is “being active.” And “being active” is “using our human powers productively.”

 

Last Sunday, we studied the parable of the good Samaritan through Erik’s sermon. In the parable, along with a man who suffered from the robbers, we see three people who are a priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan. The priest and the Levite saw the half-dead man, but they passed by on the other side. But the Samaritan took pity on him. He poured oil and wine on the wounds, bandaged them, and took him on his own donkey to an inn, and spent money for the poor man. This good Samaritan was alive to this man. For the poor man, the Samaritan used his own oil and wine, and spent his own money and time. To the man, the priest and the Levite “didn’t exist in the world.” In terms of “being,” they were nothing. On the contrary, the Samaritan was “a living being” who took pity on him and giving a helping hand. The Samaritan was “a rich man” who spent his wealth for him. The Samaritan was not trapped in selfishness and laziness. He was free to use his resources and powers actively and productively for his poor neighbor. So, in the true sense, he was a living man, a free man, and a rich man.

 

God said to the rich man, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” When he thought he had achieved everything for himself, he lost his own life and therefore he couldn’t enjoy a penny out of his wealth. Regarding him, Jesus said, “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Richness doesn’t come from “possession.” According to Erich Fromm, richness comes from “being.” And one’s being is his relationships. A man cannot exist by himself, and cannot be rich by himself. A man can be rich only toward God. And this is true richness that brings eternal life. When God called Israel, he said, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6a). And when Jesus called the disciples, he said, “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people” (Matthew 4:19). Our life is a dynamic process that we are gradually possessed by God. This is our holy transformation. When we possess things in the world, we may think we are the owners of the things. But that is not true. The more we possess things, the more we are possessed by the possessions. We are trapped by our property, we are disconnected from God and others, we lose freedom, and finally we lose our lives. But when we are possessed by God, we are set free and we come to have everything in God. And we praise joyfully, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” Even we have the power to serve others as God’s priests.

 

Jesus warns “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.” Erich Fromm divides property into “functional property,” which is property for use, and “nonfunctional property,” which is property for possession. People want more property just for “possession.” This is greed. St. Paul says, “If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1Timothy 6:8-9). Only God is our treasure, our joy, and our life. Thus, our desire, passion, thirst, and zeal should be directed to this God only. Then, we are filled and satisfied. If we have treasure that we want to “possess” other than God, it is “greed” and it is “an idol worshipping” (Colossians 3:5). And whatever we have, it should be “functional property,” property for use and not property for possession. Like the good Samaritan man, we should be ready to use our property freely for our poor neighbors, and for God. Then, we are free from our possessions and grow richer toward God. In God, we are blessed to be rich and wise. Praise God for leading us to true abundance in God!!!