We have a habit of upgrading and accumulating, whether it’s more stuff, more savings, or a bigger house. During this pursuit, however, the Word of God questions us boldly: What are you really living for? What is your call? Your vocation?
In the Gospel of Luke (12:13-21), Jesus tells the Parable of the Rich Fool, in which a man builds bigger barns to store his wealth, only to find that his life ends that very night. This man was mistaken in letting his possessions define his worth, thereby focusing on material belongings—not purpose. Furthermore, in Ecclesiastes (2:21), the Teacher recognizes the futility of chasing wealth: “Here is one who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and yet to another who has not labored over it, he must leave property.” This is the reality of a will or testament; one generation’s labor becomes another’s inheritance. Still, this transfer, although noble, is not the ultimate goal. Possessions are never an end in themselves, only a means toward something deeper, as we read in the Gospel: “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions” (Luke 12:15).
The question, “How can I shift my focus from possessions to purpose?” will ring differently depending on your reality. Some of us have more than enough, but many people around the world (and in our own pews) struggle to make ends meet. They are not hoarding; they are surviving or dying. Jesus understood this, saying, “The poor you will always have with you” (Matthew 26:11), exposing the broken systems and hearts that keep people impoverished. Poverty is often not a result of laziness; it is the fruit of collective injustice.
Perhaps this Sunday’s message will also challenge us to shift from comfort to compassion. As Paul writes in Colossians (3:1), “Seek what is above.” Let our focus rise beyond the latest phone, the perfect vacation, or the safest retirement. Let it rise to love, mercy, and shared humanity. We are called to be builders of legacy—not consumers of comfort. And that legacy is not found in what we give away, but rather in how we give of ourselves. It’s found in real, sacrificial, human generosity and presence in someone’s story—not just dropping coins in a jar.
The Psalm this Sunday (90:12) prays, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a wise heart.” Wisdom comes when we remember that our time is short and our possessions can’t follow us. Purpose grows when we begin to see the face of Christ in the poor, the overlooked, and the hurting.
Shifting from possessions to purpose means recognizing that what we own does not define us. What we give and how we give may reveal our character, but in the end, who we become in Christ is what will remain. And on the day of judgment, Christ will ask us how much we love, not how much we had: “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). Let us make the shift while our time remains.
