by Andy Johnson

MRN Missionary Care Director & Prayer Coordinator

Here at MRN, we’ve been wrestling (among ourselves and with trusted advisors) with topics like:

• Patron-broker-client relationships,

• Short term missions and money,

• Movement and money, and 

• Supporting outside catalysts and inside leaders.

In other words, we’ve been wrestling a lot with money. Undoubtedly, wealth is one of the resources with which the church in the west is blessed; how do we responsibly steward this gift in cross-cultural missions?

I wish I could tell you we have all the answers – we don’t. I’m asking you to join in the wrestling by praying through the following parable with us this month. 

The Parable of the Rich Fool

Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

O Father, your children have too long allowed money to divide families! We pray today for families - our earthly families and our spiritual families - which have been splintered by running after things. Let us never choose money over relationship. Particularly rebuke us when we let our jobs or our positions or our savings or our promotions take precedence over our loved ones. Today, Father, move us to show our families – earthly and spiritual – that we choose people and the Kingdom over money!

Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 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.”

Lord, guard our hearts by your Holy Spirit against greed! We know that life - true life - is not measured by the amount of stuff we accumulate or the title we hold or the number of followers or likes we get. Reveal to us what actions or activities in our lives are actually motivated by greed, and give us the courage to do something about them today!

And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “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. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

He missed it, Lord. He only saw two options - clinging to it or blowing it. Show us that third way, the way of self-emptying love. Remind us that you bless in order that we might serve. Let us be satisfied with smaller barns and well-cared-for neighbors – here and abroad.

“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?’

“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

We do not want to be fools, God! Make us wise before our lives are demanded from us! Change our hearts to want the things you want, to love in the way you love, to give the way you give. Grant us wisdom by your Holy Spirit to discern how to honor you with our wealth. Guide our actions so that at the end of today, we will be wealthier people than we are right now - wealthier toward you, even if poorer in this life. 

Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

Are you interested in sharing Jesus with unreached people of the world?

We can help!

Email start_the_journey@mrnet.org to talk about it.