Don’t Be Greedy
Let's spend a week in the gospels! I want us to turn to some words of Jesus in Luke 12 which are certainly challenging to us, and I pray that as we look at them this week, God will speak to us and convict us of any changes we may need to make in this area.
In verses 13-15 we read this: "Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." (Luke 12:13-15)
Watch Out!
I wonder if you can remember a time when somebody said to you "Watch out!" If you're a fan of golf you might know that if you hit a ball which puts somebody in danger the thing to do is to call out "fore!" I think "watch out!" might be more effective!
In fact one of my closest friends in the world has told me that his first memory of me was playing cricket in the nets at Boksburg High School, and it seems I was batting and hit a ball out of the centre of the bat straight towards him, and almost caused some damage! I suppose it would have been a kindness to shout "watch out!" so that he could've gotten out of the way in time.
A Serious Warning About Greed
For Jesus to say "watch out!" like this must've meant that He was issuing a pretty serious warning, so that His listeners could change course and not get hurt. And in this case, His warning was against greed. Jesus passionately pleads with those who hear Him to be very, very careful of the effects of greed.
Somebody once said that some people possess money, but for others money possesses them. That's true. And for the one who always wants more, instead of being content with what they have, this is exactly what's happened - they've become a slave, you might say, to their money and possessions.
And Scripture was warning of this even before Jesus issued His warning - Solomon in Ecclesiastes writes: "Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10-12 NIV11)
The Choice Between Contentment and Greed
Consider your life. Are you content with what you have? Or are you struggling, perhaps, with greed? And feeling discontent and restless because you love money and things more than God?
Some churches preach that God wants to give you an abundance of possessions. But Jesus warned that greed is dangerous for your soul.
Listen to Jesus, and learn to be content rather than letting greed for more take over your thinking.
