“Too poor to have nothing left except money (窮到只剩下錢)” is a hugely popular phrase among the public. Most people don’t think this phrase apply to themselves because they assume that they are not rich enough to be called “rich fools”. Yet compared to our ancestors or the people in poor countries, most of us can be relatively categorized as rich people.  We usually don’t work to make our ends meet, but to satisfy our material needs or even desires.

In Luk2 12:13-21 Jesus told the story of a rich man who is rich on earth but poor in God. This man owned a piece of fertile land that has produced good crops. He said to himself, “I should tear down my barns and build good ones to store up more goods and crops, for there is not enough room for them. Then I can enjoy my life — eat, drink, and be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! this very night you’ll die. Who will get everything you worked for?”

Like this rich fool, we may work hard day and night in hope of increasing our savings or investments and then retire, enjoying our later life. How foolish we are! How will we know it is going to happen to us tomorrow? “A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God” (v. 21).