Poor

The LORD Jesus illustrated the poverty of rejecting Him by telling a parable about a man who was very wealthy.

This man had many crops and because he did not know what to do with them he decided to tear down his barns and build larger ones. Once accomplished he would sit back and relax.

Only God said to him "You fool." You are going to die tonight. What good will all these things be?

After finishing this story Jesus states that this is a perfect description of anyone who stores up treasures for himself, and is not rich toward God (Luke 12:21).

Today people plan for numerous things. They plan for their marriage, first home, children's education, retirement and even for their death and burial.

The Lord told this story to illustrate that it is foolish to plan for our temporary time on earth and neglect to plan for a permanent eternity.

The man described in this parable, in spite of his tremendous wealth, was poor in God's sight. He neglected the truth that God is concerned about our spiritual wealth.

How does a person become rich in God's sight?

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Jesus Christ, the holy Son of God left all His riches in heaven to live with sinful human beings and die for them. (Philippians 2:5-11, John 3:17). He became poor by taking our sin upon Himself, so that we can be rich towards God (1 Peter 2:24).

If we put our faith and trust in Him we are rich (Romans 10:9-10) and someday will be holy and righteous like Him (1 John 3:2). God will spend eternity sharing His riches with us (Ephesians 2:7) and even better we will spend eternity with Him (John 14:3).

Are you rich towards God? The alternative is to forever remain in your sins, poor and without God. If you die in that condition, your only future is a place called hell. It is a poor place and God is not there. Are you planning for your future?

George Ferrier

1999