The Bigger Picture

by Raymund Tamayo

“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him.” - 1 Corinthians 2:9

The Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13-21 tells a lot of profound things.

One of the things that caught my attention was God calling the rich guy a fool. Yes, it was really a strange way to describe a person who would have been the envy of his peers. 

That guy worked long hours all his life, saved and invested consistently, built his own business empire, and everything worked out well.

Then, finally, the guy was ready to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He has prepared well for his retirement. He was finally going to slow down and take it easy, "eat, drink, and be merry," as the passage says.

"What's wrong with that?" I thought. I prayed and the Holy Spirit made me realize:

The parable was not saying that building a successful business empire that generates financial independence for you and your family and the future generations is wrong or ungodly.  

God did not call the guy "fool" because he is rich and successful. 

God called the guy a fool because he built his wealth and success only for himself. He hardly recognized God's kingdom along the way, and had been building his own kingdom. 

Am I A Fool?

Many right now are like the rich fool. They are willing to sacrifice almost anything (family and friendships, their own health, etc.) just to build their own kingdom. Their security is on material things rather than on God.

They trust money and status and get their confidence and security on them, leaving God in second place or simply out of the picture. 

They think retirement is the ultimate goal of life. And take for granted what will happen after retirement, which is more important.

I think preparing for retirement is important as well. Definitely, we need to be financially independent by then. But to believe that it is the ultimate goal in life is dangerously wrong.

When we die, we leave everything behind. We cannot bring anything but ourselves. 

People who know God, they die very well. They are excited and embrace the transition from this life to the next. However, people who don't know God, they die horribly. They are afraid of what will happen next and just inject in their minds all will just end to appease themselves.

The problem with the latter kind of thinking is, what if God is indeed real and the afterlife is indeed real. What are you going to do and what will happen to you when you get there?

Just pause for a moment and ask yourself, "Would God call me a fool?"

Final Notes:

I pray that God removes the blindness in the eyes of the people who take God for granted. I pray that they begin to see the bigger picture of life. 

That they realize life does not end after we die. Instead eternity will just begin. 

And which side of eternity we are going to stay is so much more important than all the money and status we are ever going to earn in this short and temporary life on earth.