Does God think I’m a fool?

Does God think I’m a fool? On the one hand, that question seems arrogant because being a fool is no small matter. Being called a fool is more than saying I’m uneducated or uninformed; it is saying I lack common sense. It is saying that more information would not save me from my folly. On the other hand, is it possible that God may think of me as a fool? How did I get here? A couple of weeks ago, I referenced a parable in Luke (Luke 12:13-21) to make a point concerning storing up treasures here on earth. I couldn’t get the parable out of my mind because it made several points that haunted me.

Setting the Stage

Let’s set the stage for this spiritual dilemma. I am on the far-right side of the bell-shaped curve of life expectancy. Up to this point, I have beat the odds of average life expectancy. On top of that, for the most part, I am still healthy. God has blessed me with provisions that are meeting my needs for now. But I know my needs will change; how much and how soon is a guess. All of us are in the same dilemma today. No matter what age we find ourselves, God is meeting our essential needs today, but life is subject to change. What that change will entail is different for all of us. God is meeting your essential needs today because you are reading this. Being able to read this online connotates a certain level of prosperity; you are above the basic level on the Maslow hierarchy of needs.

Luke 12:27-30, “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon, in all his splendor, was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. The pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows you need them.”

Back to the rich guy.

For the sake of time, I will paraphrase the parable. If you choose, you can follow the link above and read it. Jesus spoke to a crowd of people, probably in Judea, about a year before His crucifixion. He told the story of a rich man that had a great harvest. The harvest was so big that the man didn’t have room to store it all. So he decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones to have security in the coming years. Then, he could “Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”

God rebukes the rich man by saying, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” God says, “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

On the surface, this seems relatively straightforward, do not rely on material possessions for your salvation and future security. But we live in a material world. All of us need a certain level of materialism to survive. I believe that God is not opposed to wealth. I say this because people of every social standing need to hear the Gospel and who is better equipped to spread the Good News than peers? No matter our status in life, each of us has a specific target market for spreading the Gospel. So, we need the entire spectrum of humanity to reach the entire spectrum of humanity.

Lessons from a Fool

Two key phrases clarify this passage for me. The first is at the beginning. Jesus starts the parable by saying, “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.” Notice that Jesus didn’t credit the rich man for the harvest. He credits the ground. The first key to foolishness is to whom you give credit. The rich man was a fool because he treated the abundant harvest as his. Just as all other things like knowledge, experience, and talent are gifts from God, so was the harvest. Everything the rich man had was not of his effort but through grace from God.

Luke 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 second key phrase is when the rich man explains what he will do with the harvest proceeds. He said, “Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” The harvest was of God and should be used for God. So the second key to foolishness is what do you do with what God provides? Whatever position you find yourself in, it is God’s providence that it should be used for God.

Back to my Dilemma

My dilemma is your dilemma. Years ago, when I was with the prison ministry, I talked with a man on death row. I asked him what it was like to know the specific time and place of his death. His answer surprised me. Again, I will paraphrase it; the state will not allow me to die before the court-appointed time. It would be seen as escaping justice. So I can plan my last days. But, on the other hand, you do not know if you will live long enough to cross the parking lot today.

We are all rich men. Our harvest is different for each of us. It is not what we have but how we use it that will determine if we are seen as fools. Does God think I am a fool? I should hope not, but the opportunity is there. If I do not give Him credit for the good in my life and I do not use that good for His kingdom, then I am.

My future is uncertain, but my path is clear. Just as the ground yielded an abundant harvest for the rich man, so will it yield the same for me.

Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.”