Luke by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Bible Study & Reference, Biblical Commentary, Christian, Commentaries, New Testament, Reference, Religion
ISBN: 9780310559085
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 279936
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 1993-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

JESUS AGAIN TREATS

fundamental attitudes of the disciple here. The issue of possessions and its relationship to the spiritual life is as real today as it was in Jesus’ day, though it may well be a more pronounced word for our era. In many Western cultures, there are so many resources available that the tension may be more acute for people today than it was then. It does not, after all, take a megamillionaire to be rich by the world’s standards. It is fair to say that many Westerners are wealthy, not only by present-day world standards, but also by the standards that apply across the centuries. Our wealth opens up choices for us that allow us to pursue our own interests in a variety of ways. Such pursuits can easily keep us from using resources in a way most honoring to God. Note that Jesus is not condemning wealth as such, but its use. How do we use what God has given us? Do we seek to pile up treasure for ourselves? Is generosity our habit? Or does compassion take a back seat to our personal desires? The questions raised here are timeless. The fact that greed is a vice in the New Testament makes Jesus’ teaching here one of significant ethical import.

Another subtle issue is raised here. We tend to hoard our possessions because we are convinced that this life is all there is; at least, that is the view our culture feeds us. A familiar old cultural proverb is “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may die.” The contemporary equivalent is the commercial jingle, “You only go around once in the life, so grab for all the gusto you can get.” There is no accountability, no sense of a future with God, or no sense of honoring values that he has set forth in this now-or-never approach. Jesus’ statement, “This very night your life will be demanded from you,” challenges our culture’s worldview much like an Old Testament prophet. The point of the passage calls for us to reflect about how we make the choices we do, as well as about the perspective that informs those choices.

The proper use of our resources raises important questions. Do we provide for our family responsibly? Do we save for college for our children? Do we prepare for retirement? The rich fool’s error was his desire to provide only for himself. Jesus does not condemn the use of our resources for the benefit of family and for others. While we need not always provide the “best” or most expensive item, we should not ignore making wise and responsible provisions for our children. The fundamental test for the use of resources is whether they become tools of service that benefit others and enable them to be in a position to serve God better. Note that Romans 12:8 actually lists contributing to the needs of others as one of God’s gifts to the church.

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