The Downside of Wealth

Luke 12:21 - “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

By the early 1970s there was widespread fear in America that our booming economy, which had grown through its great dependency on oil, was in permanent trouble. Experts coined the Energy Crisis and warned that we would run out of fossil fuels in America before the end of the twentieth century and in the rest of the world shortly thereafter. However, new discoveries of oil and natural gas fields and new drilling technology changed that dire prediction. Now, instead of being out of oil and gas, America is more self-dependent for energy than since World War II. Many people have spurred and benefited from this boom.

Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story of the New Billionaire Wildcatters, by Gregory Zuckerman, tells the story of several of the men who pursued and obtained outrageous wealth in the recent energy boom. With net worths in the billions and launching successful oil companies, it would seem they had it all. What could their money not buy? Yet each of them has faced huge personal challenges – relational, physical, and reputational. Several founders of the most successful oil and natural gas companies have been fired by their boards in spite of their pioneering leadership. Wealth does not always equal real success.

 

America’s capitalistic pursuit of wealth has inspired the rest of the world to follow a similar course. Certainly, many have benefited indirectly from entrepreneurs like these through employment, technological advances, and higher standards of living, but when wealth becomes an end in itself it becomes a problem. In Luke 12, Jesus tells a variety of stories and gives several words of warning to those who would pursue their identity and purpose from building wealth. Verses 16-21 describe a man whose life is taken before he can fill the new barns he has built. Wealth does not last past the grave, and an all-out pursuit of wealth does not supply the joy it seems to promise.

Note that Jesus is not saying that wealth itself is evil. In verse 21 he says the problem is not being rich toward God. He is not calling everyone to live in poverty. He is warning us of the limitations of earthly wealth and, more importantly, where real wealth lies: in a life that is fully committed to God. Greed kills. Generosity brings life.

Your Stuff is Not You

Luke 12:15 - “And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

What defines you as an individual? From what do you derive your identity? It can be tempting to let our possessions define us. Do you ever associate a friend with her car or his house? When shopping do you spend a lot of time thinking about what others might think of you because of what you wear? It can be tempting to fall into the trap of letting our possessions define us.

Throughout Luke Twelve, Jesus confronts the temptation to let earthly possession, pleasures, and comfort become our priorities ahead of true and eternal prosperity. What we see in front of us can easily pull our attention away from what truly matters. Yet, that is a trap. What if you were able to buy a brand new Lamborghini? Would it make you a better person? People might be impressed for a little while, but like the barns of the man in the parable following these verses, that expensive car will be useless when you are dead.

You were created to live forever, but your stuff was not. Make sure you invest in the real you.

Fear Not; Fear; Fear Not

Luke 12:4-7- “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Fear can be a motivating or debilitating emotion. When fear takes hold, it can inspire us to do more than humanly possible or it can paralyze us in inaction. What causes you to fear most? Some surveys say public speaking is the number one fear. In some cultures it is shame. For some of us it is financial or career issues. Others are afraid of always being alone. However, fear of death would have to be at the top of most lists. That is especially true if the death is at the hands of another person inflicting violence on us. What could be scarier?

Yet Jesus opens our passage today by telling us not to fear those who would kill us. That seems crazy, doesn’t it? Why would we not fear someone like that? Jesus reminds us that is all they can do. When this life is over, the real life begins. Our eternal destiny is far more important than what happens in this life.

Jesus closes by telling us that God know the very numbers of our hairs and he considers us valuable. He uses that to tell us again not to fear. The God who knows and loves us will take care of us.

Yet between these two commands not to fear, he gives us a command to fear, but this fear is different. We are to fear God. I always thought this was a funny expression. Does this mean to run and hide from him? No, it means to revere him, not because he might squash us like a bug on a whim but because he is awesome and powerful. Like a loving father who expects the best from us, fearing God means to make pleasing him in all things our objective. Make sure your fear is the right kind.

The Danger of Success

Luke 12:1-2 - In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.     Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.”

I have been around long enough to see a very frightening trend. Some gifted, talent people start out with sincere motives and passion to make a difference. They work hard, develop their skills, and build teams that multiply their impact. Before long, everyone around begins to success the results of their efforts: the organization grows, the profits increase, the fame spreads. These gifted young influencers are encouraged by the praise of those around them. The adrenaline rush of tangible success and popularity fuel them to push harder without a break. The crowds grow. The fame spreads. Soon the world takes note. At some point along the way, though, those young (or formerly young) zealots face a question: “Who am I, really?”

For some, the answer is, “I must be the best ever. Look at my success! If this many people say I am all that, surely it must be true. I cannot fail.” With their feelings of invulnerability, these people make often make compromises.

Others give the opposite answer to their question: “I am not who all these people think I am. If they find out the truth, I am finished. I have to work hard keep up the act so no one ever finds out the truth.” Some burn out, some get caught in breaches of integrity, and some lose the confidence to lead as the perception gets further from reality.

This is not a new problem. In the verses above, when the crowds were exploding, then Jesus warned his disciples. Notice the word “first.” In Greek this is an adverb, referring to the timing of Jesus’ warning and its priority. Your integrity is more important than your success. However, there is also the sense that Jesus warned his “first” disciples. They were with him before the crowds came. They saw the success. They were at risk of the same thing successful leaders today are: hypocrisy, which literally means putting on an act.

Jesus gives a clear warning to those who start to believe their own press. The act won’t work. You will get caught. The indiscretion will go public. Instead, be a person of integrity. Be yourself. Be humble. Work hard, but remember if you succeed in the world’s eyes, you are just one more human.

Not Me! Right?

Luke 11:45 - One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.”

How do you respond to criticism? When someone points out an error you have made, what is your first reaction? Is it anger? Is it a feeling of insult? Is it instead finding fault with the one who pointed out the errors? Perhaps you judge them back because you perceive their motives are hostile or, at the very least, they are unworthy to point out any errors in you because of all the errors in their own lives. Granted, not all criticisms are well founded, and we dare not make ourselves slaves of public opinion, but too often we are unwilling to listen when our faults are pointed out. Even if we do listen, it is even rarer that we act on them.

In the last half of Luke 11, Jesus begins to point out the errors in the Pharisees’ thinking, motives, and behavior. Like far too many of us, they did not take that criticism well. In verse 45 above, one of the experts in the Jewish law said they were “insulted.” Yet, Jesus did not back down. He showed them that their unwillingness to evaluate the truth of his words and the error of their ways put them in a state of extreme guilt. Even then, they were unwilling to listen, let alone change. The chapter ends with them plotting together to try to trap Jesus in his words in a way that would give them grounds to execute him.

When someone points out something you can improve, do not immediately jump to offense or anger. Listen carefully. Determine any truth in their words. Evaluate your own actions, thoughts, and motives. Change anything that needs to be changed. Remember: you will never improve if you are not willing to receive correction.

Give to God and Others

Luke 11:42 – “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”

When walking on a very narrow trail, it is easy to fall to one side or the other. So much in life is about the tension of staying balanced. The same is true in our efforts to give and serve. Some believers can get very focused on their personal relationship with God and pour all of their energy, effort, and contribution toward him as an act of worship. Others see the real needs of people around them, or even around the world, and pour their efforts into bringing social justice and relief. It is not uncommon for those in one camp to label the other as being in error. Yet, Jesus is clear. Whichever side you are on, these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

We need to tithe to God while still helping those who cannot help themselves. Beyond this, Jesus has another, deeper concern in the surrounding verses: Why do you do what you do? Part of his beef with the Pharisees is that they did their good works not from a true heart of worship toward God or compassion toward other people. They did their good works to be noticed by others. Their self-worth came from being better and more prestigious than those around them, Instead, Jesus said, “You are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”  (Luke 11:44) The very glory from other people they craved from others was instead exchanged for death and anonymity.

May God help us each serve others and worship him from a pure heart.