"This Night Thy Soul Shall Be Required Of Thee"
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 all my barns, and build greater;
and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
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.
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?
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
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.
The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
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?
And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for
the rest?
In this parable from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus highlights the folly of prioritizing material wealth over spiritual richness. The rich man, confident in his accumulation of goods, plans a life of ease, neglecting the transience of life and the eternal perspective. God's sudden demand for the man's soul underscores the unpredictability of life and the ultimate futility of earthly riches when detached from spiritual purpose. Jesus warns against excessive worry about material needs, urging his followers to trust in divine provision. By drawing attention to the ravens, who thrive without toil, he emphasizes the value of faith over anxiety. The message is clear: life’s essence goes beyond physical needs, and one's focus should be on spiritual growth and trust in God.
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