Rich in What Matters to God

 “Rich in What Matters to God”

Reflection on Luke 12:13–21

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In today’s Gospel from Luke 12:13–21, Jesus responds to a man who asks Him to settle a family dispute over an inheritance. Rather than acting as a judge or arbitrator, Jesus uses the moment to teach a deeper truth. He tells a parable about a rich man whose land produces abundantly. The man thinks to himself, “What shall I do? I have no place to store my harvest.” His solution? Tear down his barns and build bigger ones, so he can store all his grain and goods and say to himself, “You have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”

But God says to him, “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” And Jesus concludes, “Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

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This passage pierces the heart of modern materialism, but more importantly, it challenges each of us to consider the deeper question: What am I living for?

The man in the parable isn’t condemned for being successful. His sin is not his wealth—his sin is his selfishness and short-sightedness. He’s thinking only of himself, his comfort, his security. There’s no mention of God. No thought of neighbor. No gratitude. He has been given much, but he hoards it rather than shares it. He plans for years of earthly enjoyment, but he forgets the eternal horizon.

Jesus is not telling us that saving or planning is wrong. He’s telling us to guard our hearts against greed—not just the greed that wants more, but the greed that believes our worth and our security lie in what we own. The rich man believed he could insulate himself from life’s uncertainties through possessions. But when death came, his wealth was powerless to save him. In the end, he had invested everything in what perishes—and nothing in what endures.

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Let’s ask ourselves:

• Am I seeking to be rich in what matters to God?

• Do I define success by how much I have, or how much I give?

• Do I treasure God above all else, or do I trust more in what I can control and possess?

Saint Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy 6:7: “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” Our lives are not defined by abundance, but by relationship—with God and with others. It’s love, generosity, humility, and faith that make us truly rich in God’s eyes.

This Gospel challenges us to reorder our priorities, to live generously, and to seek first the Kingdom of God. Because one day, our barns will be left behind—but what we have stored in the heart will follow us into eternity.

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Key Takeaway:
True wealth is not found in possessions but in a life rooted in God’s love. Be rich in what matters to Him—faith, generosity, mercy, and love—and your treasure will never perish.