Kara Conniff

By: Kara Conniff

In Luke 12:15, Jesus warns the crowd about the pitfalls of greed. He tells them: “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot” (MSG).

He then goes on to tell the story of a farmer who has such a large harvest that he doesn’t have barns big enough to store it all. Instead of giving it away, he decides to just build bigger barns so he can hoard even more of the grains for himself. 

In verse 20, Jesus says, “Just then God showed up and said, ‘Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods-who gets it?’ 

He goes on to say in verse 21, “That’s what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God.”

This is a profound picture. First I imagine a barn. It’s stuffed to the brim. The barn door is bulging and there are things spilling out between the boards of the barn. Things that are spilling out:  TVs, books, shoes, more clothes than you can image (some with the tags still on them), food, expired food, leftover food, junk food, throw pillows for every season, throw blankets in every color, sports equipment, buckets and bins of art supplies, receipts for movies and concerts and sporting events, dishes, spare sets of dishes, fancy dishes, bins, baskets, drawer organizers, etc. Basically the contents of a typical American home. SO MUCH STUFF. 

In Matthew 6:21, Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, your heart will be also” (NIV). 

If that barn is where you  keep your “treasures” then that’s where your heart will be also. The barn is about to explode from all of your treasurers. There is no room for anything else. 

Now imagine that barn is your heart. Imagine that heart is full of pride that it can take care of itself, but it’s also worried about the future because it can’t control everything. That heart is full of wants and desires–concert tickets, a new book, a great vacation, new shoes, a new car, a bigger house. That heart is full of negativity and judgement of co-workers. That heart is full of good things too. It’s full of comfort. It’s stuffed to the brim with activities and busyness. It is full of joy at a job well done. It’s full of tasks and to-do lists. What’s for dinner? What should I wear?

Now imagine that Jesus is standing at the door to your heart and he is knocking. He would like to come in. He would like to take up residence. He would like to help you and give you peace. But your heart is already too full of things of this world. Your heart doesn’t have any space left to let Jesus in. Jesus warns in Luke chapter 12:29: “What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so that you can respond to God’s giving. 

God wants to give us love, peace, patience, community, and joy in all circumstances. 

What could you do to clear out space, literally and metaphorically, for Jesus? What is in your way of spending time with Jesus? Do you watch too much TV? Social Media? What is keeping you from feeding the poor or helping your neighbor? Are you worried about what’s for dinner or what you will wear tomorrow?

Are you too preoccupied with Self? 

Dear Lord, 

Please let the things of this world grow strangely dim. Nothing can compare to your glory. Help us to make room for you in our hearts. Show us what matters to you. 

Amen.