Luke 12:16-21
We’ve all heard jokes about men who refuse to stop and ask for directions. But in reality, there’s probably a good bit of truth to the stereotype, and it isn’t limited to males. Plenty of men and women in this world zoom along without slowing down to ask for guidance.
If you were to look at the world from a spiritual perspective, you’d see lost souls desperately trying to save themselves. They think they can earn their way into heaven through hard work and the accumulation of good deeds. But they’re wrong. (See Eph. 2:8-9.)
Today’s passage from the gospel of Luke describes a wealthy person who makes a lot of plans based only on his own thoughts, desires, and experiences. Take the time to look at the passage again, and notice how many times he used the words “I” and “my.” What you’ll see is that his focus was squarely on himself. This parable is a sad picture of the self-directed man trying to make his own way and secure his own future with no help from anyone—including God.
The Lord doesn’t mince words: He called the man a “fool” (Luke 12:20). Worldly wisdom amounts to nothing in the eyes of our omniscient Father (1 Cor. 1:20), and He expects His children to request and follow His guidance.
The message for us today is clear: When we figure out our own plans and take action with no thought about what God would advise, we are behaving like fools. The Lord has a plan for your life. He knows where you’ll succeed and where you’ll fail. Be wise and ask Him for directions.
