And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12:16-21

Follow the money! I’ve heard that phrase often, especially surrounding controversies and scandals. Why do you think money ruins so many?

Before the parable above, Jesus said, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions”(Luke 12:15).

How we use our money reflects our priorities and our focus on ourselves, like the rich man in the parable above reveals the condition of our heart. It’s not that money is the root of all evil, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:10).

The question is pretty simple. Are we generous toward God or not?