GRANDPAUSE: “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”   Luke 12:20-21

Our final GrandCamp program of 2013 is just around the corner. It’s been a great summer. If you haven’t taken your grandchildren to a GrandCamp, consider participating in one of our camps next summer. It could be a transformational experience for you and your grandkids.

This year’s theme is GOT WISDOM? based upon Proverbs 4:7 that says, “Wisdom is supreme. Therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” Sound advice. But what does wisdom look like and what is the price of foolishness?

Wisdom is knowing what is true and right, understanding what I am to do with it, and then doing it ins a way that reflect the character and glory of God. One of the best indicators of our level of wisdom is how we use wealth.

Stock portfolios, retirement plans, investment diversification and insurance programs – we are a generation consumed with ‘wealth management” matters. While financial planning can be useful for managing our personal resources, if we are not wise in that management, it simply becomes a means of building bigger barns for ourselves.

Jesus told the parable of the rich fool to remind us of the wisdom that, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” I haven’t met too many people who really believe that. Like the rich fool of this parable, we can easily get caught in the trap of foolishness when it comes to money and stuff.

When we use our resources to bless others, it becomes a tangible expression of what it means to be rich toward God. Hoarding and building ‘bigger barns’ for our own comforts and pleasure without regard for God’s purposes is foolishness (God’s description—not mine). The price of foolishness is our own mortality. You see, one day we will give an account. The fool will stand before God with an empty account.

Today’s grandparents have a huge responsibility to promote wisdom with our grandchildren. We can do that in two ways:

1. By not living for our own pleasures, but demonstrating generosity and selflessness in the use of the assets God has put into our care;
2. By refusing to unwisely spoil our grandchildren with material things. There is nothing wrong with lavishing gifts on our grandchildren at appropriate times, as long as we are equally diligent to teach and model what it means to be rich toward God – that our life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions.

What does your life communicate about wealth? Would God say, “Well done, wise steward?” Or would He say, “Depart from me, you fool!” Our generation has not been particularly wise in the way we have handled wealth. But it’s not too late to do something about that if we are willing to “give careful thought to our ways” (See Haggai 1:5-7).

And, instead of spoiling our grandchildren with things, why not spoil them with our time? Spend quality time with them—maybe even take them to GrandCamp. That could be one the most worthwhile investments you could make.

Engage with them in activities that help others in need. Take on a project together to raise money to help with a special need in your area. Tell your grandchildren how God has blessed you (not just materially) as you have used your resources to bless others. Encourage them to do the same.

The price of foolishness is too costly. There’s so much at stake—for you and for your grandchildren.