Holy Happiness - Part 14

What are people striving for each day?  Why do you get out of bed…what are you hoping to accomplish?

A cliché answer might be: “to get ahead,” and I think that’s probably right.  Most people strive each day to make money, to live well, to be successful…to have a better life.

Indeed, most people seem to measure their happiness based upon how successful they are toward accomplishing this goal.  Maybe few of us would admit it, and almost all of us know how unwise this can be…but it still happens all the time.  Jesus told a parable about such a person.

He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”  Then He told them a parable: “A rich man’s land was very productive.  He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to story my crops?  I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there.  Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years.  Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’  But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you.  And the things you have prepared – whose will they be?’  That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”  (Luke 12:15-21)

What is so wrong with building bigger barns to hold more grain and goods?

Answer: Nothing.  The rich man’s error was not in growing wealthier, and thus needing to build more barns.  You can be successful in life, even very wealthy, and still be faithful in God’s eyes.  The two wealthiest men I know personally are both very Godly…strong, dedicated Christians.

So, what did he do wrong?

To correctly understand what Jesus is teaching in this parable (one often misunderstood and misapplied), you need to carefully read Jesus’ statements just before and after the parable.  Here they are without the parable in between:

He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.” … That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”  (Luke 12:15,21)

Do you see it now?  What was the rich man’s mistake?

I see two problems.

I.          Blessed vs. Greedy

There is a big difference between living a life blessed by God – one He blesses in response to our faithful obedience; versus living a life based on greed.  The rich man was greedy.  He was storing up grain and goods to feed his greed.  Have you ever done this; or known someone who did?

Many times when a Christian lives in faithful obedience to God, he will experience amazing blessings.  Sometimes these include astounding increases in wealth.  The point is not the wealth and whether it is increasing or not.  The point is God.

In other words, the rich man’s focus was wrong.  He was focused on the plenty, on the increasing wealth, and as a result became very greedy.  By the way, it always happens this way.  No matter how much one owns, when he or she starts focusing on the wealth, it is never enough.

But by focusing on God, one is able to maintain the proper balance and perspective.  One focused on God sees the increasing wealth as providing additional opportunities to bless others, to support Kingdom work, and to please God even more through faithful stewardship.

Jesus had it right.  “One’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”  Life is found in right relationship with God.  This is living blessed, not living based on greed.

Second problem…

II.       Giver vs. Hoarder

The rich man amassed a fortune…for himself.  He was hoarding all the excess, building barns to make sure he could keep it all.  To quote Jesus: He was storing “up treasure for himself.”

I picture Scrooge sitting at his dark desk, alone, late at night…totally content to count his money over and over again.  While others hunger and hurt just outside his door, he is happy to move a pile of money from one side of his desk to the other as he counts it yet again.

“All for me!” is the mantra of such people (and you don’t have to be financially rich to be part of this group).  And while amassing much for themselves, what is their attitude toward God?

Jesus said the man “is not rich toward God.”  God gets nothing!  Or at the very most, God only gets the barest minimum.  And probably even that is given hesitantly and with regret; certainly not with the joy God desires of us when we give.

The Bible promises that cheerful givers are rewarded and blessed by God.  The rich man is not one of these!

Are you?

Do you live greedily, focused on what you can amass for yourself?  Do you hoard all you can for your benefit alone?

Or, do you live faithfully focused on God and patiently accepting whatever blessings He chooses to send into your life?  Do you see your possessions – ALL of your possessions – as a way to be a blessing to others and to support Kingdom work?  Are you a cheerful and generous giver?

So many in our culture believe amassing as much wealth as possible for themselves will bring much happiness.  Actually, it is the opposite that is true.

For wealth is an uncertain companion.  Here one moment and quickly gone the next!  Haven’t we all seen that happen, particularly in recent years?  On wealth, on your possessions is such an uncertain foundation for building a life of happiness.

In fact, most find that giving away and blessing others brings infinitely more joy than hoarding ever did, or does!

And look lastly at what Jesus said about the rich man.  For amassing his wealth and building new barns, God calls him a “fool!”  Why?

Because he would die that night…he was going to be gone – permanently!  “This very night your life is demanded of you.”

What would happen to his grand plans then?  What would happen to his fortune?  How much would he enjoy those new barns after he was buried?

What are you focused on?  Wealth – getting more, hoarding what you have?  Or, are you focused on serving God faithfully, trusting Him to provide for your needs and any additional blessings?

Un-Holy Happiness is for those who trust their wealth…it’s foundation is uncertain.  Holy Happiness is for those who trust their Maker…a sure, strong and eternal foundation that will never fail nor disappoint!

Now…which kind of happiness do you really want?