Luke 12:21 & 48 –
<21>“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
<48>”But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.”
As with most of the Gospel’s, each chapter has so much great information one could spend weeks reading them. Get a Bible with Jesus’ words in red, that way you can really dwell on what He is saying. Jesus throughout his ministry talks about money and how it changes people. The first verse is about a rich fool, who thinks building a bigger barn is all he needs and then he can quit and not work. During our lives we look at “work” as one of the “four-letter words!” For some reason we think that we must rest our laurels one past successes, hit it big and retire young. Here God says otherwise, He also draws the analogy of “stuff” being worthless in the long run.
Now the next teaching implies you don’t need to do anything in life, God will provide. This parable justifies many to do nothing and just expect things to happen. They ignore the hard work done and expected from the previous parable. But then this ties directly into the next verse where God does not dislike rich people, He just expects them to manage their money well. If someone is blessed, God does not expect you to do nothing with that money. It’s clear that the love of money is bad, but money itself is not and here is scripture supporting this. We are blessed not to get fat and happy, but to serve others.
Now I think you can see the parallels here, one a man receives a “windfall” and basically puts it in the bank and retires. This man was entrusted with much and basically used it to help himself only. Now if the man had put those earning to use to help others and make more I believe God would have been pleased. Interestingly the parable between these two has God giving it all away. Now I ask that we see the correct response is not to save and hoard your wealth. The Jesus says give it all away, and then He says those entrusted with much will be expected much.
Now does that say the one entrusted with much should give it all away? Or should the one who hoards should give it all away? These three parables tie together well, first hoarding is showing a love of money and really the only freedom is through releasing it all. With that said, if you are entrusted with much, God expects you to use your wealth for good. Helping the poor and growing the kingdom. In this case you give it all away, you have lost working capital to help you survive and to help continue your mission. So in the case of someone who is doing what God is expecting, enjoying and using your wealth is ok.