What is Given is Given!

 A short reflection on The Parable of the Rich Landowner, (LK 12: 13-21)

Do we want a life dependent on things of this world or a life close to God? Most people the main priority in life is to attain enough money in order to live a good life. Millions of people today are giving all of their time and energy to worldly things and are forgetting God.

The rich landowner of this parable was a farmer but he represents all human beings who are seduced by “all kinds of greed.” Greed arises when our heart loves material things and possessions in selfish and disordered ways. Possessions are necessary for life but possessions can assume such an importance in one’s life that they become obsessions.

 

In the light of what Jesus says, each of us has some hard thinking to do about our attitude towards possessions. We grab what we can and then hold on to it hard. Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.

God created “things” – material reality – for a purpose: to help us fulfill our mission in this life. Everything that belongs to God is ours when we desire to share it with others. Thus, our philosophy of life should be, “what is given is given, what is lost is lost.” What is given to others is not lost but it will be transformed into a treasure for eternity.

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.” (Mahatma Gandhi)