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For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1 Corinthians 3:19
While the rich man is looking forward to years of enjoyment, the Lord is making far different plans. The message comes to this unfaithful steward, ‘Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.’ Here is a demand that money cannot supply. The wealth he has treasured can purchase no reprieve. In one moment that which he has toiled through his whole life to secure becomes worthless to him. ‘Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?’ His broad fields and well-filled granaries pass from under his control. ‘He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.’ Ps. 39:6.
The only thing that would be of value to him now he has not secured. In living for self he has rejected that divine love which would have flowed out in mercy to his fellow men. Thus he has rejected life. For God is love, and love is life. This man has chosen the earthly rather than the spiritual, and with the earthly he must pass away. ‘Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.’ Ps. 49:20.
‘So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.’ The picture is true for all time. You may plan for merely selfish good, you may gather together treasure, you may build mansions great and high, as did the builders of ancient Babylon; but you cannot build wall so high or gate so strong as to shut out the messengers of doom. Belshazzar the king ‘feasted in his palace,’ and ‘praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.’ But the hand of One invisible wrote upon his walls the words of doom, and the tread of hostile armies was heard at his palace gates. ‘In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain,’ and an alien monarch sat upon the throne. (Dan. 5:30)
To live for self is to perish. Covetousness, the desire of benefit for self’s sake, cuts the soul off from life. It is the spirit of Satan to get, to draw to self. It is the spirit of Christ to give, to sacrifice self for the good of others. ‘And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.’ 1 John 5:11, 12.
Wherefore He says, ‘Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.’
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