January 12: Bigger Barns
Scripture
15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” 16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ 21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
-Luke 12:15-21
What we do with what has been entrusted to us reveals a great deal about our hearts. Everything we have is a gift from God. In Jesus’ story, the rich man enjoys an abundant harvest, but instead of pausing to give thanks, he immediately begins making plans. His focus is entirely on what this blessing will mean for his own comfort and security.
The issue was not his wealth, but his posture. Rather than seeing abundance as an opportunity for generosity, he saw it as something to store, protect, and enjoy alone. His plans were completely inward-focused. Bigger barns, longer ease, greater comfort. In doing so, he treated God’s provision as personal property rather than a sacred trust. As C.S. Lewis reminds us, “Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God.”¹ Nothing we possess, including our ability to produce, is truly our own.
Jesus tells this story to remind us that this world is not our home. No amount of wealth, security, or preparation can change the reality that our lives are temporary. Everything we cling to here will one day be left behind. What truly lasts is not what we accumulate, but what we invest in the Kingdom of God and in the lives of others.
When we recognize that all we have belongs to God, our grip loosens and our trust deepens. We stop measuring life by what we possess and start measuring it by how faithfully we steward what we’ve been given. Worry begins to fade because we are no longer depending on stored-up resources, but on a faithful Father. May we always remember that we are blessed, not to hoard, but to be a blessing.
Reflection
1. What has God entrusted to you right now, resources, time, influence, or opportunity, and how are you currently stewarding it?
2. In what ways might you be tempted to find security in what you store up rather than in trusting God’s provision?
3. How could your life more clearly reflect that you see God’s blessings as a trust meant to be shared rather than something to hold onto?
Prayer
Thank God for every good gift He has entrusted to you. Ask Him to loosen your grip on anything you are tempted to cling to for security and to deepen your trust in His faithful provision. Pray for a generous heart that reflects His Kingdom, using what you’ve been given to bless others and honor Him.
Footnote
¹ C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: HarperOne, 2001), Book III.