From Luke 12:13ff
Nothing will ruin a family more than an inheritance problem. Mom and dad die and the inheritance is unfairly divied out to one or two and denied to other/s. Good families that use to get along very well have fallen apart because of this.
One day a man came to Jesus and told him that his brother was getting all of the inheritance and should share some with him. He was filled with rage because his brother was being unfair. This man was faced with an injusticc that he hated, and no doubt, he and his brother were torn apart from this already. He believed very strongly that there was no reason they couldn't resolve their issue very quickly.
The brother who got the inheritance was probably a follower of Jesus and would have listened to whatever Jesus said. If not so, then the offended brother would probably not have asked Jesus to talk to him. The offended brother expected Jesus to see the injusctice and tell the other brother to pay out. In the mind of the offended brother, Jesus could tell the one who got the inheritance to give his brother half, and he would listen to Jesus, and share the inheritance, resulting in fairness and a family living in harmony.
The man had it all planned, knowing that he was in the right, believing that Jesus would be on the side of a victim of injustice. He went to Jesus with his request, "Tell my brother to share the inheritance with me."
We expect Jesus to be helping the poor guy out by rebuking the brother (who kept the money) because he was greedy and was unfair; but instead Jesus rebuked the guy who was offended, telling him to watch out for his own greed. For Jesus, the issue was not about fairness and injustice, but the issue was about greed. The offended brother was offended because he wanted things he was cheated out of.
That means when we are offended because of financial injustices at work and around us, the core of the offence is not injustice, but our own greed.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN LIFE?
Jesus used the offended man for a teaching example not only for the perils of greed but for what is most important in life (values). As humans we place high value in making a lot of money. Money buys a certain amount of security, comfort, and status in this life. Jesus, however, did not place a lot of value in these. For Jesus, the most important values of life are those that build the kingdom of God and prepare us for eternity.
Death was the ultimate judge and jury of wealth and possessions. No matter how much one has accumulated in life, when death comes, one's wealth goes to someone else. Jesus spoke a parable about a man who became very wealthy and had enough to retire. But before he retired, he died, leaving all of his wealth to others. The rich man who wanted to retire had nothing while others took his holdings. He had nothing for his eternal destination.
Because money and possessions gave nothing to this man at his death, Jesus concluded that our desire to amass wealth is not a good value. In Jesus' mind, wanting money and things only hindered us from serving the Kingdom of God and from preparing anybody for eternity, as Luke 8:14 states: "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." For this reason, Jesus told the offended brother to watch out for greed, and not to be consumed with his inheritance or lack thereof.
Building the kingdom and preparing for life after death was by far the greatest value for Jesus, for those held eternal treasures.
HOW DO WE BUILD THE KINGDOM AND PREPARE FOR ETERNITY?
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys (Luke 12:33).
The offended brother was concerned about getting his fair share, but Jesus saw this as greed. The offended brother wanted money coming in, which was in contrast to Jesus' belief that we should give money away, trusting God to take care of us for necessities (luke 12:22-34). In giving money away, we help build the kingdom of God and build treasures in heaven.
