Yesterday we looked at Gordon Gekko’s mantra – “Greed is Good!” and what Jesus might have to say to Mr. Gekko.
We also looked at Luke 12:13-15 where Jesus warns against greed.
He actually says to guard against it – as if it’s something that we need to fight against.
And he doesn’t just say it – he emphatically warns us about it.
So today we want to look at and try to wrap our arms around why Jesus would be so insistent, so strong, so unmistakably against greed.
What is it about greed that makes it something we should fight?
We Have to Guard Against Greed Because It’s So Dangerous!
Look at what Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs!”
Notice the language – loving money and craving it will ultimately destroy your soul.
Uh, Ok – that’s pretty serious!
Jesus also talks about how it’s easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Matt. 19:24) and that loving God and loving money cannot coexist. (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13)
Being rich isn’t the issue, but greed is a very dangerous sin.
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We Have to Guard Against Greed Because It’s So Subtle!
Greed has a way of blinding us into thinking that we don’t have a problem with it.
Did you catch that? Let me say it again because this is so important:
Greed has a way of blinding us to think that we don’t have a problem with it!
Here’s what I mean – we think others are the ones with the money and greed problems.
We all tend to view others within our socioeconomic lens – in other words once we are in a certain bracket we begin comparing ourselves to others in that bracket and we see that there are plenty of others who have more than us.
So we justify ourselves in thinking, “Well I don’t live as well off as they do! I surely don’t have a problem with loving money.”
Or, maybe even more convicting - we look at them and think they are the ones with a money problem.
Jesus warns people way more often about greed than he does about sex and yet almost no one thinks they’re guilty of greed.
I think we all need to begin with an attitude of “this could definitely be an issue for me”.
Because greed hides so deeply, and it is so pervasive in our westernized, American Dream culture we need to take a serious look at our own hearts. I know I do.
Greed Reveals What Our Hearts Worship.
When your mind starts daydreaming, what does it gravitate to?
Does it start thinking about how great God is or does it go to that new car, those new gadgets, new ways to make money, or new things to buy — does it look with jealousy towards others who have nice things?
Does it worship Him or does it worship money?
Jesus says that your life doesn’t consist of the abundance of your possessions – in other words, you’re not defined by your clothes or your car or your job.
The very fact that we clamor for these things reveals our idol worship of money!
What Greed Could Never Provide
Greed over-promises and under-delivers! It promises to make us wealthy and happy! But it never does, it never leaves us satisfied – it always leaves us wanting more.
Greed can never provide what our hearts really want. We were made to find out joy and satisfaction in a right relationship with God himself.
That’s how He wired us – if He made us, He certainly knows how we work.
Take time to think about God’s plan for a reconciled relationship with Him!
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I use to be so tight with money and I use to always be broke too (oh the irony in that lol) Since God has been working with me he has taught me to be a giver ooooooooh and giving is sooooooooooo much fun!! It keeps you humble and grateful that you have what you have. I can’t wait to be debt free so I can give more.
Also when you learn to let go of what God has given you, he blessed you with more than you had before. It doesn’t always return in the form of cash but you always end up with some kinda blessing and I truly love that about God.
Great post!
I like to think of myself as a non-greedy person. I got some powerful ventures in wealth, but I ultimately want little. Nothing more than a steady cash flow to cover my bare necessities passively. I wouldn’t even throw rent or mortgage into that equation! Just enough for food, water, and clothing, and I can relent!
…Though I can certainly think of many people who have a lot of bad greed in their hearts. Heck, they’re all around us.
Divine & Debt Free – so glad to hear what God is doing in your heart. That is awesome!!!
You hit the nail on the nead with “our westernized, American Dream culture”. Greed isn’t new to the 21st century, nor is it unique to Western Civilization, but we do have to admit that our cultural norms not only feed it, but they also legitimize it.
Not only is acquisition and living the good life a societal norm, but acquisition in particular is held up a virtue that drives the economy. The whole system encourages it. In fact when people pull back on it, we call it a “recession”, and recessions are something to be fought against.
It’s more difficult to resist this sin than we realize.
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