Bible Reading: Luke 12:17-20
There is more than one way to be wasteful.
You can be wasteful by recklessly spending money or using resources without giving any thought to their limit.
You can also be wasteful when, like the foolish man in today’s scripture, you refuse to use your resources to help others or serve God. This man also wasted an opportunity to thank God for the fabulous crop that God had given to him and wasted an opportunity to demonstrate God’s love and care to other people by sharing the wealth that God had given to him. When He had more than he could use, he chose to hoard it rather than share it saying, “I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry” (verses 18 & 19).
I hope you and I don’t thoughtlessly and carelessly fritter away the gifts and resources that God has given us. I also hope we don’t hoard the gifts and resources that God has given us. By doing either of those things we are wasting the special gifts and resources with which God has blessed us.
Instead, let’s ask God to help us use everything He has given us in whatever way best honors Him and serves His people. Let’s “…not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:16).
“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to wisely use everything that You have given to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.