“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'” — Luke 12:20
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Sudden death.
They’re two of the more exciting words in all of sports. Essentially, a sudden-death situation is one in which two teams have played to a tie and the next score wins. Whether you leave a winner or a loser, it all rides on one play. Tension is at its highest, competition is at its fiercest, and fans are on the edge of their seats.
But what happens if you don’t know you’re in a sudden-death situation? You may not give your all to chase a loose ball or defend your own net, thinking there’s time later to make it up.
I fear that mindset is how many followers of Christ are tempted to live their lives. “I’ll repent after I finish with these errands,” we say. Or, “I’ll get back to going to church after I graduate next month.” Or, “Let me work to get this promotion, and then I’ll have more time to read the Bible.”
Jesus had harsh words in a parable in Luke 12 for a man who made similar excuses. While the man was busy spending his time on earth accumulating wealth that he planned to enjoy later, “God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'” (Luke 12:20).
The man was working tirelessly to chase after a comfortable life he envisioned for himself in the future while ignoring the things of God, but little did he know that he would die that night. Everything he had built up on earth would be wasted. It was a foolish endeavor, just like trying to conserve your energy in sudden death. Accumulating earthly riches but ignoring his call to be “rich toward God” (Luke 12:21) would do the man absolutely no good when he stood before God that night.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t plan ahead for years down the road. I’m not saying it’s wrong to work hard now to create a better future for yourself. What I am saying is that you should never, ever sacrifice a thriving personal relationship with God and His people now in the name of future earthly comfort. That future may not even be there, and even if it is, earthly comfort won’t ultimately satisfy.
Don’t make the mistake Jesus talked about in Luke 12. If tonight your life is demanded from you, will God have found you storing up treasure for yourself but not being rich toward Him?
— Kevin Mercer
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