When my sister and her family lived in Prescott, WA, there was a neighbor that lived just down below and behind them. This neighbor was known for getting drunk with his buddies. One day they got drunk and wondered off down by the river. It was winter and things were frozen. They came across a dead pig. Now to them, the pig looked perfectly preserved. So they hauled it home, built a fire and put the pig on a spit over the fire, anticipating a fine meal.
Unbeknown to them, the pig had begun to decompose on the inside and a great amount of methane gas had built up inside this porker. As the outside of the pig began to thaw, and the insides began to warm up, there was a sudden explosion and pig parts flew all over the place much to the surprise and dismay of the men who thought they had found a prize.
This story could be used to illustrate a whole host of life situations. One in particular comes to mind from the book of Luke.
Luke12: 13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
The drunk men thought the pig was a prize. It looked perfectly preserved and only needed to be roasted to provide a great meal. What these men saw and thought was not reality. Similarly, the man in the parable was not seeing reality. He thought that gathering up riches, building bigger and better barns was the way to success and contentment. His perception of reality exploded in his face when God told him that his soul would be required of him that very night.
There are many people today who think they have found the key to a successful, satisfying life. They think they have found their prize pig. But one day their prize pig will blow up in their faces as they stand before God at the judgment and realize that things on earth were not what they appeared to be. God will say, "Thou fool, this night your soul will be required of you, then whose will those things be that you have saved up?"
Are you seeing reality? The reality of the last day and God's judgment? Or have you found your prize pig that you are hauling home to roast? Be rich toward God instead of collecting earthly treasures that will one day burn and explode in your face.
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