Jesus then told them a parable,
“There was a rich man who had a tremendous harvest. He said to himself,
What should I do since I have no place to store all the harvest?
And he said to himself,
This is what I will do, I will pull down my barns and build bigger barns; I will put all my grains and my goods in the new barns.
I will say to my soul, Soul, you have much wealth laid up for many years to come, take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.“
But God said to him,
“You foolish man, this very night your soul is required of you; the things that you have stored up for yourself, whose will they be?
This is just like the person who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.“
And He said to His disciples,
“Listen to what I say. Do not be anxious about your life, as to what you are going to eat, or about your body, as to what you will wear. Life is more than food and clothing.
Think about the ravens, they do not plant or reap, they have no barns to store up grain, and yet God feeds them.
How much more valuable are you than the birds? Who among you, by being anxious, can add one minute to the length of his life?
You cannot affect even the smallest thing by being anxious. Why be anxious about everything else.
Think about the lilies of the field. They do not labor or make their own clothing, and yet Solomon and all his glory was not dressed like any of them.
If God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and gone into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he clothe you? Oh, you of little faith.
Don’t worry about what you are going to eat or drink, and don’t be anxious in your minds about the future. For this is how the world responds to life. Seek the kingdom and all these other things will be taken care of.
Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good will to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give gifts to God and his service.
Make for yourselves purses that do not wear out, and a treasure in heaven that will never run out, where there is no thief who will steal it or moths that will consume it. Wherever your treasure is, that’s where your heart will be.”
