Friday 28th July
Read Habakkuk 2:9-14
“‘Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain,
setting his nest on high
to escape the clutches of ruin!
10 You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,
shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
11 The stones of the wall will cry out,
and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.
12 ‘Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed
and establishes a town by injustice!
13 Has not the Lord Almighty determined
that the people’s labour is only fuel for the fire,
that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.” (NIVUK)
If the first woe reminds us that greed has consequences that will eventually be repaid, the next two woes emphasise the futility of pursuing wealth at all at the expense of others. Those who seek security in wealth, climbing over the top others to get there will find themselves alone but in possession of an empty house that will itself cry out against them (v9-11). All the work put into securing one’s future will be consumed in the blink of an eye. Investing in the wrong places is dangerous (v12-13). Ultimately God will be given glory and be seen to be given the glory that is His due.
Jesus told a parable that captures the futility and stupidity of greed perfectly. “Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ 14 Jesus replied, ‘Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?’ 15 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.’ 16 And he told them this parable: ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, “What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.” 18 ‘Then he said, “This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’” 20 ‘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?” 21 ‘This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich towards God.’” (Luke 12:13-21) (NIVUK)
Do you invest wisely or foolishly?
