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Fools and Their Barns

By Vicar Lisa Rygiel

The following is an excerpt from Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber’s blog published August 4, entitled Fools and Their Barns and is based off last Sunday’s gospel text from Luke 12:13-21.

We hoard different things depending on our circumstances. Some of us hoard resources. But some of us hoard affection. Some of us hoard compassion for others, some of us hoard our talents as though we can stockpile it all in Ziplocs and store it in the freezer.

And life is rough, it breaks our hearts, and people disappoint us, and every day there are new scams to avoid, so it’s understandable that we build barns to try and protect our hearts, our money, our gifts.

But of course, as always, Jesus invites us to imagine a different economy than one where we hold back out of fear.

In the parable God calls the dead guy with a barn full of stuff a fool. “So it is,” Jesus says, “with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

What does it even mean to be “rich toward God”?

Because scripture says that the Earth and everything in it is God’s. So, God isn’t in like, financial trouble and needs a bailout or a payday loan.

Maybe being rich toward God starts with noticing how rich God has been toward us. How “scarcity” is not in God’s lexicon, scarcity is just something we create for others and fear for ourselves.

But God didn’t create the cosmos by being stingy or holding back so they didn’t run out. God created the world with wild, irresponsible generosity. I mean, Eleven thousand species of birds? Over thirteen billion light-years of stars? More kinds of flowers and kinds of landscapes and kinds of humans than we know what to do with.

Abundance is written into the DNA of the universe.

Which brings me back to the rich man. I’m sure he felt like he’d made it He won the game. He had more than he could ever use. But this week I wondered what he lost by winning. When the rich man died, he was alone with his big useless barn of grain. Which meant He never got to meet another person’s need or experience the freedom from self-obsession that comes from generosity. But he was stingy in more ways than just one. He withheld from his neighbors, not just the abundance of the Earth which by the way, belongs to God, but he also withheld the blessing of his neighbors getting to be of service to him. He didn’t get to experience being given to. Not a single neighbor got to show up with a loaf of Zucchini bread in August or helped him fix a fence.

He lost the chance to be generous—and to be on the receiving end of generosity.

Because that’s part of it too.

To be rich toward God is to know that our lives are stitched together with other people’s lives…That we were never meant to go it alone.

So being rich toward God is not just about giving. It’s also about receiving. Which for some of us is harder.

I don’t mind the being of service thing, but I don't love the letting other people take care of me thing.

Some of you know that the first sentence I ever spoke was 3 words – Do. It. Self. I will do it myself, I do not like having to rely on anyone else, in fact most days of my life I wear a cuff bracelet inscribed with the word, “independent”.

But a couple weeks ago I was inside the prison - meeting with a small group - when my blood sugar dropped. I had nothing with me and the last thing I wanted to do was ask the women for anything. I got a little shaky and lightheaded before finally saying “I’m so sorry to ask, but does anyone have something I could eat” – I mean, it was humbling - I have so much, and they have so little, but Nadine was clearly delighted that she could hand me her granola bar. For a moment I felt embarrassed until I realized it would have been stingy of me to be of service to them and withhold the opportunity for them to be of service to me.

My dad is my teacher here.

He has a progressive neuromuscular disease, so over the last 10 years we have watched as he slowed down a bit, then relied on a cane for support, then a walker and now for several years a wheelchair. Last Summer he took a turn and was in hospital for a week, and I got to spend a day sitting with him in his room.

Now, my father was a professor and is a dignified man; tall, handsome, with a certain command of presence. So, after a nurse had come to help him with toileting, I said, “Dad it must be really humbling to need other people to do so many things for you.” And to my surprise, his face lit up and he said “No kiddo. That’s the good part.”

That’s the good part.

The needing. The being needed. The being humbled by our own humanity. The economy of grace that God has given us to live within.

Thinking of myself as so independent is a joke by the way.

Because all week as I studied this text, my mind wandered to those in my life who did not withhold their gifts of attention and time and encouragement. The woman who gave me a place to live when I got sober, the friend who brought me a lasagna when I was too depressed to leave my apartment, the artist who said I told funny stories and should maybe do that on stage, the community college night class film studies teacher who told me she thought I was smart, the pastor who saw something in me that I didn't see in myself.

Each of these people could have kept their time and attention and energy stored away in a barn. I know how easy it is to default to this, trust me. But they were generous with what God entrusted to them.

I don’t know what it is God has given you on behalf of others, maybe it’s money, or a killer sense of humor, or the ability to create art or music - which we really need right now, or just the sacred gift of being a really good listener. I just hope none of it ends up in a barn.

“So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God”, he said.

And then, just a few chapters later, Jesus gave away the last thing he had—his own life. He poured it out. Even at the end, when he could have lashed out or shut down or called ten thousand angels, he kept giving – he gave his forgiveness to those who hung him on that cross and then he gave his mother to his friend and his friend to his mother.

“You belong to each other,” he said.

And in a world that tries to convince us we are alone, maybe that’s all we really need to remember.

We still belong to each other.

That’s the good part. AMEN

 

August 10, 9th Sunday After Pentecost
10 a.m. Sunday Worship

Announcements

Garage Sale: A huge "Thank You" to all who donated items, unpacked, organized (and re-organized), helped shoppers fill boxes, delivered furniture and cleaned up after the Garage Sale.  Most of the "leftovers" went to PALS and Goodwill in Pueblo with some items packed up and saved for next year. At the last council meeting it was decided that we would use the proceeds for Zion's many missions, to include ACTS, God’s Work Our Hands, food ministry, donations to the Rocky Mountain Synod, Angels in Aprons, helping our unhoused neighbors and 5th Sunday Blessings.  Total proceeds for this year were $2391.90, which included $213 for the hotdogs, cookies and drinks that were sold! The Garage Sale is a unique way to share our many gifts, and we couldn't do it without you! Terri Watson, Julie Wersal, Garage Sale Coordinators

Ordination & Installation: Vicar Lisa Rygiel will be ordained and installed as Zion’s next pastor at 1 p.m. on Sunday. A reception in Lisa’s honor will immediately follow this special worship service. All are welcome.

Fellowship: No fellowship following this Sunday’s worship as the Fellowship Hall is being prepared for the ordination reception. All are welcome to attend the reception.

Church Council: The Zion’s church council will meet next after worship on Sunday, Aug. 17.

God’s Work Our Hands (GWOH) Service Project: For its 2025 GWOH service project, Zion’s will be building a ramp at the Blalock home.  John Rygiel is heading the project. To volunteer to help, or for more information, please contact John. We are exploring other GWOH projects for some of us not so handy with a saw or a screw gun!

Special Thanks: We are grateful to Kathy Humphrey for donating a new air conditioner to Zion’s. The new unit replaces the aging, noisy, and inefficient swamp cooler.

E-formation – 9th Sunday After Pentecost, August 10

In the gospel for this coming Sunday, we hear about a master who serves his slaves at table. This will happen for us, when Christ welcomes us, forgives us, speaks with us, and serves us bread and wine. Join us in the Master’s company.

Luke 12:32-40

We are given four different images of the life of faithfulness: we are a flock that is well shepherded; we put our money into sturdy purses; we are slaves served at table by the master; our lives are broken into by God’s very self. At holy communion, we are those very slaves served by the master.

Genesis 15:1-6

This account of the establishment of the covenant between God and Abraham is set next to Luke 12 as two more images of God’s promise of grace to the faithful. God’s coming is like a couple in their 90s finally bearing a child and like the multitudinous stars shining in the night.

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Hebrews 11 is the first of four semi-continuous selections here in Year C: Year B also includes four semi-continuous passages from Hebrews. The reading enhances our hearing of Genesis15 with the author’s extended example of Abraham’s faith. Both Hebrews 11:12 and Genesis15:5 invoke the image of the stars.

Zion's Lutheran Church

A Reconciling in Christ Community
zionsluth@gmail.com
719-846-7785