Experienced preachers know one sure-fire way of getting the instant attention of their hearers. He can whisper the magic word, “Money!” Most people seem to have a nerve which leads directly from the checkbook to the heart. The Bible bears witness to this peculiarity in our make-up in that it devotes far more attention to the management of material possessions than it does to love. We will focus on the use of our money in the present and future.

• The parable of the rich man highlights the need to decide wisely for the present (vv. 16-21). To say that the rich man was prosperous is almost an understatement. The Greek word translated as “barns” in verse 18 forms the basis of the English word “apothecary.” We get a glimpse of its usage in our present day apothecaries or drug stores. Those stores stock items far removed from matters of healing compounds.

The rich man, therefore, was a business man, who boasted of wide-ranging economic ventures. Even though he possessed wealth, greed was the driving force behind his life. His outlook on life left no room for the welfare of laborers in his fields nor for servants in his household. Had he known he would die that night, his outlook might have changed, but life had run out for him.

• Our Lord made a pertinent observation about the need to plan carefully for the immediate future (vv. 27-28). If we go back to the allusions to the ravens in verse 24, they ate grain from the rich man’s fields, unconcerned about his fate. Similarly, the lilies growing in the marshes adjacent to his lands adorned the pond for a brief time before fading away. God cares for both raven and lily, but their survival depends on their abiding in their proper environment. A raven which tries to act like a duck would not last very long, nor would a lily trying to live in the surroundings of a rose. Similarly, we prosper when we trust God to supply our needs insofar as we abide in Him in the calling He wills for us.

• Economic survival also places on us the responsibility to invest selectively for the more distant future (vv. 31-34). Jesus identified the ultimate outcome which will determine what and how we make our investments, that is, the Kingdom of God. It has its future outcome, but it also relates to its present dimension. We cannot become so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. Whereas the rich farmer neglected the plight of his unfortunate neighbors, Jesus wants us to assume the burden of their care. For example, the Southern Baptist response to the destitute people devastated by hurricanes along the Gulf Coast testifies to our hearts of compassion once a particular need arises.

• Jesus also advised us about the wise use of money, urging us to strive diligently for our promised rewards (vv. 42-44, 48b). We need to remember we are managers, not owners, of God’s blessings, whether in real estate, jobs, or positions. To understand how tenuous is our hold on material possessions, just ask yourself this question, “Whose will it be a hundred years from now?” While we cannot answer the question, of one thing we can be sure. It will not be ours. Family treasures will have been divided among one’s heirs long before then. Family heirlooms over which family members squabble will long since have passed from the memory of one’s descendants. The only investments which pay certain dividends are those we lay up in heaven as we serve the Lord. What He requires is faithfulness, not worldly success.