posted on November 11, 2011 10:02
Have you ever had the experience where a recurring topic crosses your path and it strikes you as odd or peculiar? I've been having this experience around the topic of greed. From sermons, to podcasts, to books and projects, they are all touching on this topic of greed. Greed is an ugly word. My mind pictures greed to be an emaciated, sinewy, Gollum-like creature consumed by "the precious." He is so driven and obsessed in his quest to obtain his treasure, nothing else matters. While the full embodiment of any sin is easy to diagnose, the subtle side of sin is often hard to spot.
Andy Stanley, the son of Pastor Charles Stanley, and the pastor of North Point Community Church in Atlanta, Georgia, said the following in a presentation that he made at a Catalyst Conference entitled "Enemies of the Heart":
Guilt says, "I owe you."
Anger says, "You owe me."
Greed says, "I owe me."
Jealousy says, "God owes me."
Who is at the center of all of those statements? ME!
The apostle Paul states, "...a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world." (Colossians 3:5b) Idolatry was punishable by death in the Old Testament and breaks the second commandment. The heart posture involved with idolatry is the same with greed. A greedy person places the thing he is pursuing on the throne of his heart instead of God. The tragedy is that greed foregoes the riches of God's love and the abundant life found in Him. Not only does greed deny the importance of a relationship with God, but it gets in the way of having sound relationships with others. Stanley goes on to say that greed causes a culture of "I'm not getting my fair share." It impacts how we celebrate others; it is more interested in taking the credit than sharing the credit; it will cause an individual to sacrifice the organization for their own personal advancement, etc.
Do you struggle with greed? Have you been deceived into believing what this thing falsely promises?
What are the antidotes for greed?
If you struggle with greed, confess it and ask God to forgive you (1 John 1:9). He's eager to do so.
Obey the words of Jesus. "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need." (Matthew 6:33). "It is more blessed to give than receive" (Acts 20: 35b).
Recognize that God's love is the foundation of our need and He longs to be THE provider of that need. "Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart's desires" (Psalm 37:4).
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (Eph. 1:3)
God blesses us to be a blessing to others. Write more thank you notes and larger checks, give more praise, etc.
Get out of debt. Indebtedness precludes (or allows fewer) opportunities to be generous.
Jason