Lesson of the Parable of Luke 12

"Most people seem to think that the sole duty of man is to provide for himself, leaving God out of the question entirely; and even many who recognize the fact that God has claims upon them, think that “we must make a living.”

Not so; we must glorify God, and this must be our first, and, indeed, our only object; and since we cannot provide for ourselves, but must depend upon God for all our temporal supplies, it stands to reason that by serving him faithfully our prospects for a continued supply of at least the necessaries of life, is better than if we ignored him.

Christ’s parable in Luke 12, shows what a man will lose by a failure to make the glory of God the first thing in all his calculations:

“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.

And he spoke a parable unto them,

saying,

The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying,

What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

But God said unto him, You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you: then whose shall those things be, which you have provided?

So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:15-21)."
E.J.Waggoner