In a trendy world the best things in life are timeless! Jesus is out teaching with His disciples when a man asks Him to tell his brother to share the inheritance with Him. You don’t have to travel far or look hard to find things that don’t appear to be fair. The distribution of the assets that follows the death of a loved one has many times been characterized as unfair. What do you think Jesus should do in this situation? He could just do as asked, or he could tell his brother to give it away. There are many other options. God seemingly never misses an opportunity to demonstrate He won’t “control” people. Take note of His response: Luke 12:15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
Take a look at the same text from different Bible translations or paraphrases: the Message – Luke 12:15 Speaking to the people, he went on, “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.”; the NLT – Lk 12:15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”; the ESV – Lk 12:15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”; NIV – Lk 12:15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
The average USA household is carrying $16,000 in credit card debt. It is a heavy burden for many and doesn’t include personal loans, car loans, school loans, or mortgages. Why so much debt? Is the answer in Luke 12:15? Undoubtedly some have found themselves in a very difficult circumstance and felt like they had no place to turn. Perhaps it started as car repairs so someone would be able to get to and from work. Sadly most credit card debt isn’t just to make sure there is basic food in our stomach or a simple roof over our head. Debt is a dangerous choice even with the best of intentions and reasonings. In John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” Real life is forever and Jesus is the center of it. Debt is something that will choke out real life (Prov 22:7). Couples fight about money more than any other thing. Buying things we can’t afford never satisfies the soul. Debt may very well be another form of medicating for many when they are stressed, and medicating never improves our prospects.