Jesus Story Teller - Part 10

Intro:
Read that demotivation poster quote. That is the perspective of some.

We all look up and down the ladder of life. We gauge our skill, ability and success on a standard that goes up and down a ladder.

We look up the ladder to determine our goals and seek motivation. Welcome to the land of discontent.

We look down the ladder when we need to pick me up and want to make sure we are doing better than someone else. Welcome to the land of pride.

We look up and down the ladder for perspective ... but I am not sure this is a conscious thing.

Maybe there is a better way to gain perspective?

Read:
Luke 12:13-21

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."

14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" 15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '

20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."

Think:
This is a parable about perspective.

Perspective:
A man approaches Jesus demanding Jesus to make a relative pay him what is due him. What is his by right. He's right but he's wrong. He might have a claim but he fails to understand the more important things related to God and relationships.

He fails to release his claim because he's convinced he has a right. He lacks perspective. He cannot see beyond his rights.

So, Jesus tells a story about a man that lacks perspective. If you have "perspective" then you have the ability to see around you. You are not locked on. You are not blinded by greed or rights.

The "certain rich man" (v.16) did not have this gift. He could not see beyond his land, his production. He did not have perspective. We see this in 4 ways:
1. He did not realize that the land produced because God gave him the increase.
2. He did not realize that the increase might have been for the good of others not just himself.
3. He did not realize that he was poor toward God and that God took that seriously.
4. He did not realize that his earthly choices had eternal significance.

Do:
I see myself in the rich man. I have his lack of perspective at times. I am so focused on my need to provide for my family that I can lose my view. I confess that I do not see the needs of others as well as I see my own. I confess that I believe my paycheck is MY paycheck. I realize that I do not realize 1/2 of what I should. I confess that I am more concerned with my earthly riches than I am being rich toward God.

I can tell it by where I invest my time and money.

How about you? Can you identify with anything in this parable? Does this speak to you in any way? How is your perspective? Are you rich toward God? What can you do to gain perspective?

How are you investing your time and money?

We gain perspective when we look beyond the ladder and see God at work. That is true riches.

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