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Christ’s Object Lessons
Our Lord struck at the root of the affair that troubled this ques-
tioner, and of all similar disputes, saying, “Take heed, and beware of
covetousness; for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the
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things which he possesseth.
“And He spake 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, thou hast much goods laid up for many
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years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry. But God said unto him,
Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose
shall these things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth
up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
By the parable of the foolish rich man, Christ showed the folly of
those who make the world their all. This man had received everything
from God. The sun had been permitted to shine upon his land; for
its rays fall on the just and on the unjust. The showers of heaven
descend on the evil and on the good. The Lord had caused vegetation
to flourish, and the fields to bring forth abundantly. The rich man was
in perplexity as to what he should do with his produce. His barns
were full to overflowing, and he had no place to put the surplus of
his harvest. He did not think of God, from whom all his mercies had
come. He did not realize that God had made him a steward of His
goods that he might help the needy. He had a blessed opportunity of
being God’s almoner, but he thought only of ministering to his own
comfort.
The situation of the poor, the orphan, the widow, the suffering,
the afflicted, was brought to this rich man’s attention; there were
many places in which to bestow his goods. He could easily have
relieved himself of a portion of his abundance, and many homes would
have been freed from want, many who were hungry would have been
fed, many naked clothed, many hearts made glad, many prayers for
bread and clothing answered, and a melody of praise would have
ascended to heaven. The Lord had heard the prayers of the needy,
and of His goodness He had prepared for the poor. (
Psalm 68:10
.)
Abundant provision for the wants of many had been made in the
blessings bestowed upon the rich man. But he closed his heart to the