Examples of Values – Range from Valuing Material Things to Spiritual Things

Luke 12:20. To understand the definition of values you need to have some examples of values. The parable of the rich fool in Luke 12 provides excellent examples of values. Basically, a value is a thing that someone values. The object of a value can range from material things to spiritual things. Material things include such things as food, money, cars, and houses to name a few. On the other end of the spectrum, values can be spiritual in nature and include such things as truth, love, righteousness, and peace.

The parable of the rich fool tells us that material values may be important to men, but spiritual values are what is important to God. In the parable of the rich fool, there is a difference of opinion between the rich fool and God in regard to the value a person should put into material things. Luke 12:18-19 starts with the rich fool saying, “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. 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”. Here the rich fool's value system is completely focused on material things. He has separated himself from the spiritual things (love, truth, goodness, righteousness, and so on) of God by focusing totally on material things.

Luke 12:20 goes on to say, “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?”. Valuing material things are examples of values, but they are values that are far from God and they have dire consequences. On the other hand, spiritual things such as truth, goodness, love, and righteousness are examples of values that bring you closer to God and lead to eternal life.

LUKE BIBLE SCRIPTURE Luke 12:20, “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?”