Remember that guy in the Bible that just wanted to eat, drink and be merry? Farming was his occupation and he had a terrific year. His crops were so great he was determined to tear down his barns and build bigger and more barns to hold the surplus. He was determined to sit back and relax and take life easy for awhile. He decided to retire and eat, drink and be merry. Sound ok?
As always there’s more to the story than we know about. God happened to disagree with his plans and especially his attitude. It seems that the farmer thought all the bounty of crops was “his” doing and that God should be a silent partner! God thought the farmer was a little too proud and decided to “harvest” the farmer by letting death visit him that very day! “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded of you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’” Luke 12:20 Your life is not defined by your bank account, possessions, titles and the like. Sound ok now?
At this point some of you are thinking; that seems a little harsh. Some of you are thinking that God should “Lighten Up” a little and let the poor old farmer enjoy his retirement years and let him eat, drink and be merry. If you will remember, I told you that there’s always more to the story than we are privy to. The farmer was proud, greedy, arrogant and selfish among other things. So what you say, there’s a little of that in all of us! One tiny fact remains, the farmer had these things in abundance, and God called him on it! Even God gets His share of our hubris and haughty attitude. Sound about right?
For those who think God should “Lighten Up” and let people do their own thing, the Bible has the last word. The Scripture in First Corinthians 10:26 remind us: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” Sound like the final word?
Life is more than material goods; far more important is our relationship with God. Planning for retirement—preparing for life before death—is wise, not preparing for your afterlife is DISASTROUS. If you're accumulating wealth only to enrich yourself, with no concern for helping others, then, you will enter eternity empty-handed. Sound reasonable to you?
The next time you think God should “Lighten Up” and let people do whatever they want, maybe you should book a sightseeing tour of Sodom and Gomorrah. A tour of the gift shop should lighten things up. Buy an ashtray!
Bottom Line
“Keep falsehood and lies from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” Proverbs 30:8
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