The Story of the Rich Man
A story from yesterday’s sermon at church made me think. It’s about the richest man in the town, and an average farmer. Everyday the farmer thanked God for having enough to eat and for providing his family a blessed life, while the rich man was enjoying his fortune. The rich man always wondered what the average man was so grateful about since all he could see was his lack, in comparison with his abundance. One day, the rich man and the farmer had a conversation, and the farmer said, “Yesterday, I had a dream. God told me the richest man in town is going to die to tonight.”
The rich man became very upset with the statement and began cursing the farmer in his heart. On his way home, the rich man started experiencing pain in his chest. He quickly called his doctor to attend to him, saying that the farmer cursed him, and he was worried about dying that night. The doctor came and examined him, saying, “There’s nothing wrong at all. You are very healthy. You are not going to die tonight.”
The rich man was still worried about the farmer’s words, but he managed sleep. At the crack of dawn, he still hadn’t got up. Suddenly there was a loud knock on his door. Startled, he woke up – happy to be alive. It was his servant, saying, “Master, you know that farmer who lives down the road, he passed away last night.”
There are a few ways to look at the story, but the message I got was one about contentment. Many times, we look at our past mistakes, things we have lost and what we lack. So much that we forget to be grateful about what we have, and dream of what is to come. We may not be millionaires, but when we have all that we need (not all that we want), we could be richer than we imagined.
While it is not wrong to be ambitious and seek material and financial riches, it is worth remembering Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Many times, we want all the other things and tell God, “When I have made it, I will search for you.” By that time, we might be old and weak, or not even live to see that day. But that is not His way. God wants a relationship with us, and then, He will add those things.
The rich man became very upset with the statement and began cursing the farmer in his heart. On his way home, the rich man started experiencing pain in his chest. He quickly called his doctor to attend to him, saying that the farmer cursed him, and he was worried about dying that night. The doctor came and examined him, saying, “There’s nothing wrong at all. You are very healthy. You are not going to die tonight.”
The rich man was still worried about the farmer’s words, but he managed sleep. At the crack of dawn, he still hadn’t got up. Suddenly there was a loud knock on his door. Startled, he woke up – happy to be alive. It was his servant, saying, “Master, you know that farmer who lives down the road, he passed away last night.”
There are a few ways to look at the story, but the message I got was one about contentment. Many times, we look at our past mistakes, things we have lost and what we lack. So much that we forget to be grateful about what we have, and dream of what is to come. We may not be millionaires, but when we have all that we need (not all that we want), we could be richer than we imagined.
While it is not wrong to be ambitious and seek material and financial riches, it is worth remembering Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Many times, we want all the other things and tell God, “When I have made it, I will search for you.” By that time, we might be old and weak, or not even live to see that day. But that is not His way. God wants a relationship with us, and then, He will add those things.
posted by JJ at 10:08 PM
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