It seems
to me rather contradictory that Jesus, who was so gentle at times (Matt. 19:13-15),
would call some people fools. Yet, as recorded in the Gospels a number of
times, our Lord used this derogatory term to describe those He spoke
about—especially the Pharisees (see Matt. 23:17-19; Luke 11:39-40).
Jesus
also used the word fool in a parable after warning a man about coveting
(Luke 12:13-21). What made him foolish is not the fact that he built bigger
barns to store his abundant harvest (vv.16-18). It would have been more foolish
of him to leave it out in the fields where inclement weather would spoil it.
Nor was he foolish because of his thought that this unexpected windfall was
enough to last him a long time (v.19). After all, we are urged to follow the
example of the ant in “storing up” the harvest (Prov. 6:6-8).
What made
the man foolish? He left God out of the picture. He was called a fool because
he failed to realize that his life was in God’s hands. While he was planning
carefully for his comfortable life on earth, he failed to plan for eternity and
store up treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:20).
Does your
plan for the future have God in it? You won’t want to be called foolish by Him
in the end.
“He is no
fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”. (J.E.) RBC
