Early Retirement? I think "NOT!"
Luk 12:13-21
(13) Then someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me."
(14) But Jesus said to him, "Mister, who appointed me to be a judge or arbitrator over you people?"
(15) Then he said to them"Be careful to guard yourselves against every kind of greed, for a person's life doesn't consist of the amount of possessions he has.",
Jesus warning along with the following parable are enough to remove any
thoughts I have ever had of "early retirement". Early retirement seems
to be a common goal today. Many people planned on early retirement and
then the markets crashed wiping out in a day, what they had saved for
years. The "moths" ate their savings and the "rust" ruined their
possessions. Jesus suggests an alternate approach. "Sell what you have and give to the poor."
Abundance in God's kingdom was never intended to be squandered on
oneself, but rather shared to meet the needs of others. According to
the teachings of Jesus "hoarding" is a sin. Oh dear, I used the
"s" word. If anyone actually read this blog I could be in trouble. :-)
(16) Then he told them a parable. He said, "The land of a certain rich man produced good crops.
(17) So he began to think to himself, 'What should I do, since I have no place to store my crops?'
(18) Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and I'll store all my grain and goods in them.
(19)
Then I'll say to my soul, "Soul, you've stored up plenty of good things
for many years. Take it easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself."'
(20)
But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be
demanded from you. Now who will get the things you've accumulated?'
(21) That's how it is with the person who stores up treasures for himself and isn't rich toward God."
What should the man
have done? It is obvious: he should have kept his barns (savings
account) as they were and given his abundance to help others. He "stored up treasures for himself" AND he was NOT "rich toward God."
Lord, you know I have NO treasures
whatsoever, but that doesn't mean I am rich toward God. Please show me
and help me to be rich toward you.
7:28:18 AM 
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