The Gospel for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost is Luke 12:13-21. A man wants Jesus to intervene in an inheritance dispute, but our Lord refuses and tells a parable to point to higher values. This parable speaks of a rich man who is never content with his possessions and always wants more. While making plans to replace his old barns, the soul of the rich man is suddenly required of him.
A main point of this parable is in Luke 12:15. Jesus says, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (ESV) Human beings are physical as well as spiritual creations. That means that we do have legitimate physical and material concerns. We can pray for daily bread, clothing, and shelter. We can and should do some prudent planning for ourselves and our families, and we should care for the physical needs of other people.
Nevertheless, there are inherent spiritual and moral temptations and dangers in dealing with the material aspect of life. We have to seek the right priorities in order for life to be meaningful and well-ordered. We must not allow our physical and material needs to dominate our lives. Instead, we need to place spiritual matters first. As Luke 12:21 indicates, we must not lay up treasures for ourselves without being rich toward God. Choosing the right priorities does not come easily or naturally. It only comes with the help of divine grace. So we need grace to keep learning to place spiritual issues ahead of our physical comforts and possessions. We must turn to God's Word prayerfully and seek divine help to develop and maintain a proper perspective on the material aspects of life.
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