In Luke 12, Jesus illustrated this danger with the parable of the rich fool. There are a number of applications we can derive from this passage. First, we should make sure that we are not so involved in the affairs of the world that we neglect the affairs of the spirit. Second, we should ask ourselves if we are tearing down productive resources for a more luxurious lifestyle. Often our indulgences constrain our time and financial resources.
Materialism brings with it a haste to get rich.
Materialistic people are not patient people. They want what they want, when they want it, and they want it now. Often our lack of time is tied to our haste to get rich, to feed our greed. If we fight materialism in our lives and cut back on the lavishness of our lifestyle, we might be surprised how much time we will free up. A third biblical principle is to redeem the time.