3 Life Lessons from the Parable of the Rich Fool

If you’re not rich, don’t assume the parable of the rich fool isn’t for you! The parable is about your relationship with money and how it might impact your relationship with God, so it applies to many more people than millionaires.

Parable of the Rich Fool Summary

In the Parable of the Rich Man, a man’s land produces an abundance of crops; more than he can store. His solution is to tear down his barns and build bigger ones to hold the surplus so he can sit back and enjoy life. God calls him a fool and demands his life that very night, making his selfish endeavors all for nothing. God provides this warning for the greedy and stingy to take heed and change their ways.

Parable of the Rich Fool Meaning

When we fixate on (idolize) accumulating wealth without regard for God or others, we will ultimately have to answer to God for our greed.

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. Hebrews 13:5 NIV

Parable of the Rich Fool Reflection

We’re bombarded by fancy, flashy, worldly things every way we turn. Our friends have the latest gadgets, new vehicles, and big homes, so we want them, too. Worldly temptations pull at our desires and when we give in to them, we can easily slip away from God without realizing it. 

God doesn’t care about the things of the world. He cares about our souls. It’s the devil who tempts us with worldly wealth and he’s very convincing! It’s up to each of us to say ‘No’ to greedy thoughts and behavior. 

Three Life Lessons from the Parable of the Rich Fool

1. Be on your guard against all types of greed

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15 NIV

Society holds the rich in high regard. Rich is a status symbol that many people wear with pride. Having money isn’t the issue. It’s the excessive desire for wealth that becomes covetous. It’s when our greed exceeds our care and concern for others that it’s a problem. When we look at money with greed in our hearts, we’ve lost sight of God’s will.

Real-life and real living aren’t about wealth. Everything we learn in the Bible and everything Jesus said about loving one another have nothing to do with accumulating wealth. 

Luke gives us a firm warning. Watch out and be on your guard, he said. Take heed to Luke’s warning. Being greedy doesn’t lead to the happiness we think it will. In fact, God is looking for the opposite – our generosity to others. He will make sure you always have enough of everything you need. 

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Matthew 6:26 NIV

Look in the mirror:

Do you look for comfort in material possessions or wealth? Does your satisfaction come from the amount of money you have or do you find yourself craving more, even beyond your needs or current wealth? What fears keep you focusing on accumulating wealth?

2. Christianity is not of this world

Jesus never promised that following Him would be easy or be filled with worldly rewards, including financial. Nothing about Jesus’ life and ministry conformed to worldly status or values. If you find yourself conforming to worldly standards and desires, then you’re sliding away from Christ. The evil one is tempting you away from our Lord and you’re allowing it to happen.  

Covetousness (greed) is a sin we need constantly to be warned against. Your happiness and comfort don’t depend on the wealth of this world. Jesus promises that we will be rewarded by following His will, but the reward won’t be monetary or worldly. It will be of a spiritual nature. 

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24 NIV

Look in the mirror:

When our day of judgment comes, we’ll have to give an account for how we’ve lived our lives. If you stood before God today, do you think He’d be pleased in regard to your relationship with money?  If it’s consuming your thoughts or actions, what changes can you make today? How could you follow God’s will instead?

3. Jesus warned against all idols

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5 NIV

When God said, “You shall have no other gods before me,” (Exodus 20:3) many people mistakenly interpreted ‘gods’ as actual deities.  And because they don’t worship Buddha or the gods of the sun and moon, they think “idolatry” doesn’t apply to them. Not so. 

Idolatry is anything that diverts our focus away from God and doing His will. It goes far beyond other deities. With this definition in mind, we all have earthly desires (idols) that we put before God. It’s up to us to take an honest look inside and find out what those are. For the purpose of the Parable of the Rich Fool, that idol is greed.

Greed, also described as covetousness, is idolatry. Greed is our utmost desire for more than we need while we turn a blind eye to God and his people, such as the hurting, the lost, and the downtrodden. 

Here’s a reminder from Paul to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:10 NIV:

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Take a look in the mirror:

Assuming your basic financial needs are met (including shelter, food, and a job), what’s your relationship with money? Are you consumed by making more? Does working for money beyond what you need impact your relationship with your loved ones or the time you spend with them? Are you generous with what you have or do you ‘build new barns’ to store it all up for yourself?

Are you seeking deeper faith, a more meaningful life, or greater inner peace?

Embark on a journey of spiritual growth and self-reflection through the timeless teachings found within the forty parables of Jesus Christ. Grab your ebook, softcover, or LARGE PRINT. Read FREE with Kindle Unlimited! Learn more on Amazon (affiliate link). Read a Sample!

More Parables!

Do you love the parables as much as I do? You may enjoy reading life lessons on these others (listed below), these activities for adults and children, or this list of Parables and Meanings. More parable lessons are underway. See them all HERE!

Do you love journaling? Does writing down your personal reflections help you process your thoughts more fully? Perhaps these Christian writing journals will be helpful as you reflect on the life lessons of the parables.

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• 5 Life Lessons from the Parable of the Talents
• 3 Parable of the Lost Sheep Lessons
• The Parable of the Sower explained – which soil are you like?
• 4 Life Lessons from The Parable of the Ten Virgins
• 3 Life Lessons from the Parable of the Rich Fool
• 3 Lessons from the Parable of the Vineyard Workers
• Parable of the Lost Coin Spiritual Lessons
• The Parable of Two Sons – 3 Spiritual Life Lessons
• The Parable of the Weeds – 4 Spiritual Lessons
• The Parable of the Persistent Widow
• Lessons from the Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector
• The Parable of the Pearl Life Lessons
• The Parable of the Great Banquet Lessons
• Parable of the Shrewd Manager Life Lessons
• Parable of the Yeast Life Lessons for Today
• Parable of the Unforgiving Servant Life Lessons
• Parable of the Wedding Feast Life Lessons
• Parable of the Net Life Lessons
• The Parable of the Growing Seed
• The Parable of the Tenants Life Lessons
• Parable of the Fig Tree Life Lessons
• Lazarus and the Rich Man Parable Life Lessons
• Parable of the Good Shepherd Bible Lessons
• Parable of the Wineskins Spiritual Lessons
• Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders Lessons
• Parable of the Faithful Servant Life Lessons
• Parable of the Lamp Life Lessons
• Parable of the Two Debtors Life Lessons
• Parable of the Householder Life Lessons
• Parable of the Friend at Midnight Life Lessons
• Parable of the Master and Servant Life Lessons
• Parable of the Watchful Servants Life Lessons
• Take the Lowest Seat Parable Life Lessons
• The Parable of the Prodigal Son Life Lessons
• 5 Parable of the Good Samaritan Lessons
• The Cost of Being a Disciple Life Lessons

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