[Luke 12:15 KJV] “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth”.
One day, a man requested that the Lord should talk to his brother to divider his inheritance with him. The Lord was smart to know that he was neither a judge nor divider over them. He however warned the company to be ware of covetousness; because a man’s life does not consist of the abundance of things he owns.
Inasmuch as the Bible tells us that a rich man’s wealth is his ransom, money does not save, nor does it add value to your life. The Bible does not frown on working hard for money, rather, it frowns on building wealth through covetousness. Like the love of money, what is really evil is covetousness. The Lord warns us to beware of covetousness.
In the ensuing parable after this verse, the Lord Jesus teaches the need to build value into our name. He exhorts us to build for ourselves money bags that do not wax old.
The simple reason to beware of covetousness, is the fact that a man’s life does not consist of the abundance of things he has. You must know the following truths:
1. When God demands for your life, the only thing you can take out is your soul:
You brought nothing into this world and surely you can take nothing out. Whatever you acquire here shall be left for another. Why then should you scramble for things through covetousness.
[Luke 12:16-21 KJV] “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: [17] And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? [18] 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. [19] And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. [20] But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? [21] So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God”.
2. The second truth is the fact that life is more than food or clothes:
The same God who feeds the ravens shall feed you. The same God who clothes the lilies shall cloth you. Take no thought of what to eat or to be clothed. We must focus on seeking the kingdom; we must not seek wealth cloths and food and all the things the nations are running after.
[Luke 12:22-31 KJV] “And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. [23] The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment”.
[24] “Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? [25] And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? [26] If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?”
[27] “Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [28] If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?”
[29] “And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. [30] For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. [31] But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you”.
3. The third truth is, it is better to sell what you have and build value into your name and destiny by solving problems, than to amass wealth:
Whether we like it or not, whether we live or die, the Lord shall return, and this earth will melt with heat and the heavens will roll like a mat. The only thing a man can take out is what he has built in his heavenly account or vault. We may look silly for now until the earth begins to melt and the heavens roll like a mat when the seals are broken.
[Luke 12:32-40 KJV] “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. [33] Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. [34] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”.
[35] “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; [36] And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. [37] Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. [38] And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants”.
[39] “And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. [40] Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not”.
It is useless to amass wealth by covetousness. We brought nothing into the world and it is certain that we can take nothing out. Stay blessed!
I love you;
Noah Simpe Bediako
Simpe Bediako 