"Where Am I Storing My Goods?"

"A weekly Devotional by Gbile Akanni"

                                                                 

“And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.”Luke 12:13 KJV

Jesus’ response to this man’s simple request remains yet a matter on my heart to keep on chewing. That my Master did not just say to the man, “sorry I cannot interfere in your family conflict; but went ahead to call for caution: “Take Heed and Beware…”, and to illustrate His response with a parable, makes the matter one that I cannot also easily dismissed.

“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.”Luke 12:16-18 KJV

“What shall I do? Because I have no room to bestow my fruits.” The rich man’s problem was where to store his goods. He thought and analyzed his difficulty: finally, he came to a conclusion. I wonder what my conclusion would have been. You too, what conclusion would you have reached in your case? It is this quiet conclusion that usually forms the basis of the outward manifestations of our action. This quiet conclusion normally determines our choice, our focus and our direction in life.

The rich man in the Bible 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.” In barns and not in people; not in heaven but in barns. That barn could mean anything. For some, civilization will not allow them to start building barns so they keep their goods in banks. Some would however say, Bank? No, I don’t like banks. Their interest is too small and there could be inflation. I want to put my goods in shares, so that even in ten years’ time, when I would have retired, when the economy would have changed, that is the solid quiet money that would be coming in. I would just relax, sit down and cross my legs and enjoy myself while money comes in. So, the barns could be shares, banks or property development or it could be investing in solid minerals. Some will look for asset that appreciates with years. Some will say, “Let’s invest in a name. Let’s buy that company off the market, so that we can collect their name.” That name could be a barn.

Where am I investing my life? Where am I investing my intelligent and my ability? I need to find out what the pursuit of my life is. Do I quietly desire to possess all that I will need tomorrow, today so that I can secure my future?

Look at what the man said,

“I will say to my soul, Soul…”

When we read it, it appears as if it is not real. Excuse me; don’t you think it is real? Don’t you think these are the kinds of thoughts that have crossed our minds many times? Several things that many of us have done are along this line. That is why you will hear some people say, “…if the government decides to be foolish, I will never be poor again.” The reason is because they believed they have secured their future and so nothing can shake them.

“I will say to my soul: enough of running around. Thou hast much goods laid up for many years,” the man seem to say. Let’s face this fact frankly; how many people are not working in order to have something laid up for many years? What actually is the issue pushing many people up and down? Is it not the desire to have some certain things laid up for many years? As I say this you may be tempted to think that it applies to businessmen only; so you may excuse yourself because you are not a business man. Even you that is a civil servant, what is the reason why you have not resigned despite your complains against how the government is treating workers? What is your thought? Are you not probably saying, quietly in your heart, “Let me just clock thirty years in service so that my gratuity – the reward of working for many years - will increase?”

Why do even Pastors sit tight over their churches, inscribing their names, the names of their wives and their children on the properties- the corporate properties of the church? It is because of the fear of tomorrow. They are quietly thinking, how can I lay my life down in a ministry like this and somebody will just come tomorrow and push me out and my children will have nothing. No! Let’s entrench my name in it. This is the same conclusion, they are but goods laid up for many years.

It is for this reason that Jesus said, “beware of covetousness”. It is capable of killing one. It can make one lose one soul and end up in hell where you never planned. The weight of these instructions is enough to again cause my heart to bow in God’s presence, seeking His divine enablement to escape this hidden pit that may have swallowed many who went ahead of me. None of them ever hoped to end their pilgrim journey where and how they ended but covetousness, who never always come as such, overtook them when they least expected.

Oh dear Lord, please give me light that I may correctly evaluate where I conclude to bestow my fruits. Save me from the deceptiveness of today’s barns. Cause me to know that the fruits coming out of the ground of my life are not really mind but yours, and that I am but a mere steward over all that comes into my hands.

Lives are better place to bestow my fruits than in barns, no matter what such barns may be! This is my conclusion!!