In the Parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus tells the disciples that they should avoid greed. The man has a good harvest, and without a hint of gratitude or awareness of where, ultimately, the harvest has come from, he makes plans for a bigger barn, which then will allow him to rest, eat, drink, and be merry. This man has claimed things as idols, he is prideful, and complete lacking gratitude.
We can be the same way - we can get greedy, and worse, forgetful of the goodness of God who has given us these good things in the first place. The antidote to greed - to remember God and to be grateful. So often, I have heard of people discerning their vocation. In asking them to describe the discernment, they often seem forget who it is that is calling them. While it is 'my' vocation, it is God's gift to 'me' for the world. So it is not mine for simply me. When we discern God's vocation to us, we need to remember that like the harvest of the rich man, it is not hoarded, but rather to be shared.
3 comments:
In the Old Testament, Joseph makes a plan to save up the food in light of an impending drought. Where is the difference between that and this?
Thanks for the question. I think that the difference is already given in the reflection itself. This rich fool was hoarding, selfish, greedy, and there is not even a hint of awareness of the good harvest as from God ("I have done well for myself.") Joseph is completely different. Aware of the goodness of God as well as aware that the harvest would soon not be so good, he advised that the Egyptians save up instead of being foolish. Joseph was not in the midst of hoarding for himself, but saving for the future for those in his charge. Note that there is no Biblical injunction against saving, in fact it seems recommended. The difference is between greed and selfishness, and wisdom and gratitude.
"So often, I have heard of people discerning their vocation. In asking them to describe the discernment, they often seem forget who it is that is calling them. While it is 'my' vocation, it is God's gift to 'me' for the world"
I can testify to this truth. One of the things I learned in discernment (I didn't have an SD so I had to go the rocky route), was that I was trying to be in control, just as I had been (ahem - allegedly) with my career discernment. I used to be very driven, professionally, and so I attacked discernment in the same way I'd attacked everything else...as a goal to be conquered.
That's not how God works. He can't be conquered. And when I realized I was setting time goals, and I was "deciding" to do things and fretting when they didn't work out, I realized that I wasn't in charge.
And I do think it comes back to greed and selfishness. It was all about "me". It was supposed to be all about God.
Gotta be honest...I still haven't learned this lesson. I just hope I learn it before I lose my house and everything else God has given me.
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