✝ Daily Encouragement (4/2/24) "The Peril Of Foolish Living"

Published: Tue, 04/02/24

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Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Mollie "climbing" tree for frisbee7/16/15

A much younger Mollie scrambling up our oak tree for her frisbee!

"The Peril Of Foolish Living"

Message summary: Today let us examine a very serious life lesson in the Bible on foolish living when God called out a rich farmer, "You fool!" due to his faulty reasoning while talking to himself about how to solve his problem. The entire context is in a teaching by Jesus recorded in Luke 12. God wants us to "not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is".

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And He (Jesus) told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:16-21). "Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is" (Ephesians 5:17).

Yesterday was April Fool's Day, widely recognized all over the world as a day marked by pranks, hoaxes, and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, teachers, neighbors, work associates, etc. You may have been the recipient or dispenser of a good-natured prank, and hopefully you are over it by now!

Companies use it for marketing and getting attention such as 7-Eleven and Miracle Seltzer announcing they were selling a new flavored seltzer dubbed Big Bite Hot Dog Sparkling Water, as in hot dog-flavored water. Sound yummy to you?

We chose not to write about April Fool's day the day after Resurrection Sunday although the disciples' initial reaction to news of the empty tomb brought to them by the women was, "their words sounded like foolish talk" (Luke 24:11 in the New Life Version).

In our family Brooksyne is the most creative prankster and our most memorable day on April 1st took place thirteen years ago and bears repeating for our new readers. In mid-February Ester had picked Mollie out of a litter of abandoned pups at the Humane League in Lancaster. The day before Ester's birthday, March 8th, three month old Mollie joined us and won Ester's heart and absolute devotion. The pup's name was Reba at the humane league before Ester renamed her Mollie.

Several weeks later, early on April 1, 2011 Brooksyne woke Ester up startling her with news that one of the vet techs called from the humane league. Unfortunately the puppy in our possession, Reba, whom we now called Mollie, had been tagged with the wrong name and Ester was to take her back to the league. Reba was mistaken for another puppy sibling so Ester was instructed to return Mollie and then she would be given the correct puppy.

Imagine just how stunned Ester was at the dreadful mistake and her reaction to returning Mollie was heartbreaking. Brooksyne had second thoughts about her April fool's joke, but kept a straight face, including a sympathetic tone as she sought to comfort Ester. Just when Ester was about to break into sobs Brooksyne yelled out the "APRIL FOOLS!" tagline for permitting herself to make up such a horrible scenario. It's a story that has haunted Brooksyne ever since because Ester has never let her live down what a terrible joke she played - something totally unexpected from a loving mother which Brooksyne always aspires to be!

Mollie is still with us though puppy-hood is long gone and now at 13 arthritis has taken its place. Of course we are unable to communicate with her about the inevitable pains of aging, but we sure feel for her now that she has a hard time lifting her legs and her jump now only extends to about a foot, though she sometimes comes tumbling down only to try again.

But, today on a much more serious note, let's examine a very serious life lesson in the Bible on foolish living when God called out a rich farmer, "You fool" due to his faulty reasoning when he was talking to himself about how to solve his problem. The entire context is in a teaching by Jesus recorded in Luke 12.

I carefully probe this portion of Scripture and wonder why God called this man a "fool". After all, he was a successful businessman; working hard, prospering and planning ahead for retirement. Isn't that good? Isn't that the American way?

But after God had given him a very generous surplus of crops his goal was bigger barns, temporal pleasure and security. It was all about "me". Life's energy was expanded in this pursuit. When he felt like he had attained this goal he could lean back, feeling quite satisfied, and say to his soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry".

But that very night his life was demanded of him. Jesus ends the parable with this probing conclusion: "So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:21).

God calls this man and so many who live who live like him a "fool" for a specific reason.

The man's foolishness was demonstrated in three ways:

1) He was self-sufficient. "And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come'" (v. 19). He forgot the source of his blessing, that God was in charge. The farmer could plant, but he could not grow his crop, only God could do that. He gives us the ability to create wealth and our lives are in His hands. Fools believe they control their own destiny. "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God'" (Psalm 14:1).

2) He was self-focused. "Take your ease, eat, drink and be merry." It was all about him and his comforts.

3) He was rich to self but not "rich toward God" (v. 21). He did not use his resources for God and His Kingdom but instead selfishly considered only his desires.

We all need to keep these three questions before us:

1) Am I a barn builder, primarily focused on the present?
2) Am I a kingdom builder, primarily focused on the eternal?
3) Am I rich toward self or "rich toward God"?

What's your fundamental outlook on life today? Are you storing up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal?" (Matthew 6:19). Or are you storing up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal? (Matthew 6:20).

Today let us commit ourselves to being "rich toward God"! Let us seek first the Kingdom of the resurrected Jesus! Let us build our lives on the solid rock of Jesus and be like the person whom He called the "wise man" (Matthew 7:24).

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we are barraged with colorful ads, luring commercials, and attractive displays enticing us to make grand purchases. When "material things" consume our soul they capture our passion, our wallets and our time. You have commanded us to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness and all these things will be added unto us. As we do so we will be generous with our resources for the sake of the Kingdom. Help us to be generous with our time, talent, and treasures so that Your kingdom is enlarged and our investments have eternal dividend. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Additional study notes:

1) The parable begins, "The land of a rich man was very productive". We need to remember where all blessings ultimately come from and "Praise God from whom all blessings flow".

2) Brooksyne recalls that when she was growing up she was not allowed to call any person a fool based on Matthew 5:22. The prohibition in Matthew 5:22 is directed to us in regard to calling others a fool. However all standard translations use fool in today's text in regard to what God calls this man. In other places Jesus addresses those whom he calls fools or foolish as well. (For example, Matthew 23:17 and Luke 24:25.)

3) I am intrigued by the man talking to his own soul (verse 19), and wonder if there's a deeper meaning to this? Some versions merely state that he was talking to himself but the Greek clearly states "soul". "And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry'."

4) The issue was not his intent to build bigger barns but rather his motivation. What a blessing when God prospers a business or individual but they must remain humble and dependent on God.

5) "I will tear down my barns and build larger ones" . Revealing my analytical nature I wonder why he just didn't propose building additional larger barns and still keep the old barns!

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Build My Life" Watch on YouTube Pat Barrett

Yesterday we attended a luncheon at a company honoring Kenton, a man who has worked for the company 25 years beginning on April 1, 1999. In today's consideration of foolish living we consider those who live responsibly and resourcefully.

Don and Ruth Harnish.

Brooksyne who very much enjoys singing in the choir has gotten to be friends with Don who sings bass . He is 84 and still works installing appliances for the same company (which has morphed through several owners) since the mid sixties. As I recall his main duty is installing new dishwashers. Ruth and Brooksyne have shared recipes as they both enjoy working in the kitchen and we husbands are grateful for that!

Yesterday we passed this church sign in rural Lebanon County.

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