“So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
(Luke 12:21). Read, Luke 12:13—21.

The destiny of the people who put all their trust in their earthly possessions without regard to matters that decide their eternal destiny is miserable. Here, Jesus defines what is real wealth.

A man approached Jesus to advise his brother to divide the property with him. In ancient times, the Rabbis usually mediated in family disputes like property divisions, marriage issues, etc. The man’s request was not unusual. But Jesus turned it into an opportunity to teach the real worth of possessions.

Refusing to mediate the dispute, Jesus told the well-known parable, “rich fool.” The farmer was smart enough to cultivate the land for a good harvest. Jesus did not condemn his industrious spirit or wisdom to plan for the future—building new barns and storing the food for the many years to come.

His mistake was ignoring God in his plans. He did not know that the “many years” (Luke 12:19) he planned for were not in his control. He ignored the author of life, who decides how long we live.

The subtle definition of being “rich toward God,” which is the story’s moral, is giving God, the universe’s creator, his due place in all we do. When Jesus narrated the parable, the man in the crowd realised the truth—what matters is not having more, but having God in our life, thoughts, and deeds and having him at the centre of our existence.