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And he told them this parable: \u201cThe ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, \u2018What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.\u2019 Then he said, \u2018This is what I\u2019ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I\u2019ll say to myself, \u201cYou have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.\u201d\u2019\xa0But God said to him, \u2018You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?\u2019 \u201cThis is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.\u201d (Luke 12:16-21)

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The text from yesterday\u2019s devotion on leaving fallen wheat for gleaners from Deuteronomy, and others like it, is exactly the backdrop that Jesus had in mind when he spoke this parable.\xa0

In it, a common problem occurs: a rich man is blessed with an abundant harvest, far in excess of what he needs.\xa0 The same happened to many of us through this COVID season as our bank accounts and portfolios went surprisingly and significantly up.\xa0 So, the rich man asks the obvious question: \u201cWhat shall I do?\u201d

And he decides to do what many of us have done: he does some home renovations.\xa0 \u201cI\u2019ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones,\u201d he says, \u201cand then I\u2019ll say to myself, \u2018Self, you have plenty of grain laid up for many years, Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.\u2019\u201d\xa0 Again, we do the same.\xa0 We think to ourselves, if I can\u2019t store my surplus cash in a cruise or foreign vacation right now, I guess I\u2019ll have to store it in my home renovation instead so that I have a fine place built for many years to come.\xa0 The point in any case, is to arrive, and take life easy.\xa0 \xa0

The sharp words from Jesus indicate his thoughts on the matter, though: \u201cFool! This very night your life is demanded from you,\u201d he says, \u201cThen who will get what you have prepared for yourself?\u201d\xa0

Ouch.\xa0 So is Jesus against wealth, vacations, and home renos?\xa0 Not per se.\xa0 In this parable Jesus emphasises the words \u201cI,\u201d my,\u201d and \u201cself.\u201d\xa0 The rich man is all alone and quite content that way: he never discusses with nor thinks of anyone else: not God, and not his neighbours either. \xa0It\u2019s a conversation with just me, myself, and I.\xa0 His wealth has isolated him from community.

But according to the law\u2014wealth is communal.\xa0 Firstly, land is not owned.\xa0 It is an inheritance given by God in trust\u2014but the land can be lost due to mismanagement\u2014the land can \u201cspit you out.\u201d\xa0 So wealth is merely a trusteeship, and therefore has firstly to do with the God who has granted the trust.\xa0

Secondly, land is held in trust for the sake of the community, not just for the person whose name happens to be on the deed.\xa0 If you\u2019ve been given a trust, you had better make sure that payments continue to flow to the proper recipients.\xa0 In this case: those without homes, land, or money.\xa0 The Biblical conviction is that the bellies of the poor is best place to store your surplus grain.\xa0

This is about more than generosity and giving.\xa0 It is a question of lifestyle.\xa0 Will you curtail your lifestyle for the sake of your neighbour in a tent?\xa0 Would you forgo a trip or a bigger house, skip a night out or refrain from toys and entertainment for them?\xa0 If not: then in what sense do you love your neighbour as you love yourself?

The wisdom of the world says that we should act like the rich barn builder.\xa0 Jesus says that\u2019s foolish, and offers a wisdom in response that looks foolish to the rest of the world.\xa0 The Christian goal is not about building assets to a nice retirement full of travel and leisure or even keeping up with the Jones\u2019.\xa0 No, you must keep a lifestyle that is humble enough to be able to truly love God first, and your neighbour as yourself.\xa0 Never does Jesus draw a line to say what that lifestyle is, but if your wealth is a barrier to either of those things, then it may be time to distribute the trust.

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