Greed

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15

Greed is defined as a selfish excessive or uncontrolled desire for possession or pursuit of money, wealth, food, or other possessions at the expense of another person's welfare. It is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness. Greed is, like Lust and Gluttony, a sin of excess. However, Greed particularly applies to the acquisition of wealth. Thomas Aquinas wrote that Greed was "a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, in as much as man condemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things." In Dante's Purgatory, the penitent were forced to kneel on hard stone and recite the examples of avarice and its opposing virtue. Avarice is a blanket term that can describe many other forms of sinful behaviour. These include disloyalty, deliberate betrayal, or treason, especially for personal gain, as when someone lets themselves be bribed. Scavenging and hoarding of materials or objects, theft and robbery, especially by violence, trickery, or manipulation of authority are all actions that are inspired by greed. Such misdeeds include Simony, where the sinner feels the urge to make money by selling things within the confines of the church.

In a movie, a self-indulgent character quotes greed like this, "The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed -- you mark my words -- will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA." The world embraces this philosophy and puts it into action everyday. "Who would you step on to get ahead?", "Get rich or die trying.", "Nothing personal it's just business.", "He who has the most toys wins.", is their battle cries.

Greed consumes one's soul to the point that nothing else matters. In 2 Timothy 6:10 it says, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." These griefs it talks about are loss of family, friends, co-workers, and all you hold dear left in the wake of the pursuit.

A fairy tale tells of greed like this of a dog who managed to steal a large steak from a butcher's shop, and ran into the woods to eat it in peace. On reaching the banks of the stream, he happened to see his face reflected in the water. He did not know that he was looking at himself. What he thought he saw was another dog, holding a large steak in its mouth.

Being a greedy dog, he jumped into the stream to snatch the other's dog meat. Of course, the reflection vanished and he could see no sign of dog or steak.

Only then did he realize that, when he barked to frighten the other, he had dropped his stolen meat. The current was swift and the steak was carried away. So, instead of having two steaks, the dog was left with nothing. Christ says in Mark 8:36, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness took place with the dark one using greed as a weapon. Luke 4 reveals:

5And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
8And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

The dark one owns the greed of this world. Janwillem van de Wetering is quoted as saying,"Greed is a fat demon with a small mouth and whatever you feed it is never enough."

Greed will corrupt your soul. Once a tycoon of the industrial age was asked a profound question by a reporter. He asked, "How much money is enough?" He responded back with these words that sums it all up. "It's never enough." There is something perverse about more than enough. When we have more, it is never enough. There is a quote by an unknown author that says -"It is always somewhere out there, just out of reach. The more we acquire, the more elusive enough becomes." Greed is an insatiable appetite that is never satisfied. Only One can satisfy the soul to live for something besides yourself.

God will deal with those who take advantage of others in the quest for greed. Those who destroy other's lives in pursuit of profit at any cost. In James Chapter 5 the Word is quoted as saying -11Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

Jesus says in Luke 16:13, "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Who will you choose?

by

Lance Gargus

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