The Retired Fool

Proper 13
Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:11; Psalm 49; Colossians 3:5-17; Luke 12:13-21


On Sunday, August 4, I worked with the Apostle Paul's statement that in baptism, through repentance and faith, we have put off the old "man"/ human and put on the new which is being renewed through knowledge (through knowing God and others and being known by God and others) in the image of the one who created this new human(ity), where there are no divisions. (Colossians 3:9-11)

What a beautiful and inspiring call to us, who may feel powerless in the face of mass killings or upsetting community events like missing children.  We actually are the new humanity, we are God's answer and instrument to the pain, evil, toxicity, divisiveness, etc. in our world.  Putting off dis-integrating practices, and emgaging in the practices of the new human, Jesus Christ, is a very real, substantial, transformative way forward for us individually and as a community.

A comment on the Gospel.  I don't think this is a comment on retirement (!), though even I have joked in the past that this is the only place in the Bible that refers to retirement.  Honestly, I want to point out that this is more about generosity and the way of the new human practices that we have put on.  When Jesus' story ends with God confronting the man who built bigger barns for his amazingly prosperous harvest, God asks whose will all his goods be once he dies?  Then Jesus comments, "So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:20-21)

I want to suggest that this is about this man not sharing his abundance with those in need.  He laid up treasure for himself, in barns, rather than in heaven, by giving to those in need.  He was graced a great harvest, yes for his own blessing, but also the blessing of his community.  He apparently did not give a thought to sharing.  Tim Keller quotes Bruce Waltke, and Old Testament scholar, who states that in the Prophets and Wisdom literature in the Bible, the righteous are those who disadvantage themselves for the sake of the community, and the unrighteous are those who dis-advantage the community for their own sake.  Ouch.

Let us be rich toward God by being generous stewards and image bearers, increasing flourishing in God's world by sharing God's many and varied gifts with those around us, especially those hurting, at risk, or in need.