Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
This passage of scripture warns us against the inordinate desire to covet and accumulate material goods and wealth. Our lives do not revolve around the things which we possess, for there's much more to life than houses and lands, and the temporal mundane things of this life. Now while it is true that we are to practice faithful stewardship in the management of the unrighteous mammon, yet we should never become so absorbed in money-making and the acquiring of material possessions to the point where our desires and decisions are controlled by these fleeting things. When this is allowed to take place, our focus is removed off of God, and the result is that we begin to trust in those things which we possess, which then leads us to value the things of earth more than Christ and eternal realities, a condition that ends in eternal loss.
The caution that was issued in the passage was given in the context of a parable which portrays the ruling desire in the hearts of most people, the desire to accumulate riches and materials, and to retire early to live a care-free life of ease and indulgence. The rich man in the parable was not necessarily a "Bad" person perse, for he was most likely a law-abiding citizen in good and regular standing within the community, and he had worked hard and had executed his business diligently for many many years, to the point where there was now an over-abundance of riches and material goods at his disposal. But his problem was that he never thought of acknowledging God as his benefactor, and because of this he became self-centered, focusing all his attention on his own well-being, instead of seeking to help those who were less fortunate than himself. Let's read:
Luke 12:16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
This same problem became manifest in the life of Lot's wife and her children as they dwelt in profusion in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Over the years Lot and his family had become very wealthy and they had acquired much of this world's goods to the point where they had settled in the iniquitous twin cities, even though the sins and immorality prevailing there vexed Lot's soul from day to day.
In other words, they were willing to stomach the grossest evils just so that they could enjoy the benefits of riches and creature comforts they possessed. And as time went by they sank their roots deeper and deeper into satan's enchanted ground until they finally became fully entrenched, so that when the startling command was issued suddenly by God, for them to uproot and leave everything behind, they hesitated greatly, and were it not for the angels of God who had to literally drag them out of Sodom, all of them would have been permanently lost for eternity. Let's read:
Genesis 19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. 15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
But Lot's wife had her connections firmly established in those doomed cities, and as they left the comforts and luxuries of their home, her heart sank, and she began to murmur in her heart about God's decision to consume the entire place. Her retirement and her 401k was lodged in Sodom and the angels did not even give her a chance to at least carry a couple credit cards with her. And those expensive pieces of furniture which she took pride in, and the luxury cars left parked in their garage, all had to be left in exchange for a long run to the mountains where there were no such luxuries or comforts.
All these thoughts and regrets now caused her to rebel in her heart against the goodness and justice of God, and she looked back to desire the life she once lived. This resulted in her instant death, and when Christ comes to claim His own, Lot will be inside the walls of the new Jerusalem, while his wife and at least two daughters, will be outside, with satan, Hitler and Bin Laden. It all has to do with the dangers of accumulated goods. Let's read:
Genesis 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
In our day there seems to be a mad rush to get rich, and in doing so many of us sacrifice the joys and peace which Christ alone can give, and we work ourselves to a frazzle, and play the lotto, and do a number of inordinate things in order so we can have the assurance of a comfortable retirement. This desire thus becomes the driving force in all of our decision- making processes, which then leads us to hold our commitment to God, and our relationship with Him in a subjective manner, meaning that any requirement of His which interferes with our material goals, will be trashed in exchange for some material or pecuniary gain. Hence the reason why we end with a passage of scripture which warns us against harboring this mindset, for it is dangerous to the Christian's life, and very few who have put their feet in this path have ever escaped the strangle-hold of the devil. Let's read:
1st Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of his word. "Good night" and God bless!