Part of the message of our reading is a warning against avarice. The rich man, in his singular effort to preserve and protect his wealth, finds himself in eternal arrears. The other—and more positive—message comes in what Jesus says at the very end. The rich man is undone by not being rich toward God so, what does it mean to be rich toward God? We’ll explore that today.
- Avarice is generally defined as an excessive—even obsessive—pursuit of material gain. What are the images/experiences you associate with the concept of avarice? Have you seen it at work in a person? What was the outcome?
- What images/experiences do you associate with being rich toward God? How are they different from those of avarice? Have you seen it at work in a person? What was the outcome?
- We can only be rich toward God because he has first been rich toward us. What examples of God’s generosity in the Bible can you think of? What examples of human generosity in the Bible come to mind? In what ways, if any, are these expressions of generosity linked?
Next Step: Think of all the things that happen in the church and in the world when you give—when you follow Jesus’ example of being rich toward God.