By Rev. Michael Mwangi
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church KAG
(Luke 12:15)
Definition
Greed is an uncontrolled longing for an increase in the acquisition or use of material gain; or social value, such as status, or power.
Greed has been identified as undesirable throughout known human history because it creates behaviour-conflict between personal and social goals. Wikipedia.
Webster - A selfish and excessive desire for more of something (such as money) than is needed.
Cambridge - A very strong wish to continuously get more of something, especially food or money.
Biblical definition
Biblical commentator John Ritenbaugh describes greed as a “ruthless self–seeking and an arrogant assumption that others and things exist for one’s own benefit.”
Greed is covetous in nature.
It has the element of having what belongs to others due to its selfish nature and the desire to meet your needs with the least effort or expense.
Greed robs you of joy and peace because you cannot rest in the Lord. You are never happy with what you have or rejoice in what you already have. Your heart is always yearning for more.
Jesus warned against greed.
(Luke 12:15).
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.'
Life is more than money or possessions.
It is true money can make life a lot easier.
But when the urge to accumulate wealth becomes your passion and making money becomes more important than anything else be it family, friends, community or church, then greed has taken hold of you.
Greed is not just about money, it includes power, fame, prestige and position.
Greed, at its purest, is willing to sacrifice all these things for its own ends. At this point, greed becomes one's life's priority number one.
Any venture is never worthwhile for you as long as it does not bring monetary value. It is like your question is always how much money will it bring me or how will this benefit me personally. That is why greedy people cannot be generous or give to a noble cause or project. It is a loss to them.
The line between greed and aspiration or ambitions can be very narrow. The ever-growing desire for more and the human drive to succeed—are easily blurred and can easily cross each other.
1. Greed is not the same as aspiration
Greed is not the same as aspiration.
Paul Maxwell defines greed as - is the inordinate, insatiable desire to accumulate money, power, and security to such a degree that it supersedes moral integrity and even spiritual integrity.
Aspiration on the other hand is a genuine desire to succeed as per God's plan through hard work and due diligence.
2. Greed is demonic
Whereas the desire for success is from God, greed is from the devil. Greed is demonic in nature.
(1 John 2:16
“For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - comes not from the Father but from the world” )
3. Greed is a bad master it enslaves you.
Since it cannot be satisfied you live to serve it all your life.
Greed is like a bottomless pit, it keeps growing desiring more and never getting satisfied by what you have.
“Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).
Greed actually makes you a slave and an idle worshiper.
Greed turns you into an idol worshiper.
Greed causes you to serve and worship money or possessions. You give your best for this cause. You live and die for it
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
4. Greed is contrary to God's principle of hard work
Greed focuses on quick gains by all means and hard work is not an option in fact it is an obstacle. Greed breeds ungodly lazy schemers
Proverbs 28: 19:20
Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty. A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
5. Greed leads to lust and loss
Lust is when our hearts become so consumed with an accumulation of material assets that we start to see the money first and our moral integrity comes second.
As a result, we begin to see our moral integrity as a barrier to wealth and thus integrity ought to be removed. So we sacrifice our moral integrity and embrace illegal means of acquiring wealth. We venture into bribes, gaming, betting, sponsorship, deals and any dishonest easy money schemes.
When we have our eyes set on accumulating wealth we will use any possible means legal or illegal, moral or immoral to get wealth.
The problem with this is that money gained by selling one’s integrity often doesn’t last, as people like to deal with legitimate people. Greed will make you lose even closest friends and relatives because you end up scamming them. Unakuwa muongo na mwizi wa kugonga watu. Greed compromises you and in the long run, you lose even your integrity.
Most often, your decisions yield regret, ruin, and lost opportunities because no one can trust you even business partners.
Greed never pays off.
(Proverbs 13:11)
“Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow”
Actually, a greedy person doesn't care about people all he cares about is his quick gain. A greedy person is not just or reasonable thus he stirs problems because he is selfish.
Proverbs 28:25).
“The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the LORD will prosper”
6. Greed will ruin you
Greedy people think they will prosper and short term they may but long term they lose. It ruins you at the end. Remember you really what you sow.
Jeremiah 17:11
Like the partridge that gathers a brood that she did not hatch, so is he who gets riches but not by justice; in the midst of his days they will leave him, and at his end, he will be a fool.
7. Greed will ruin your family
Greed hurts not just you but also people around you, especially your family and friends. e.g. corruption cases... accounts frozen no family income and bad family reputation even kids in school notwithstanding shame and labelling.
“The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live” (Proverbs 15:27)
Greed set the wrong example to your family which may affects generations to come. It sets trends and precedence that have social, and spiritual implications that have regrettable outcomes that are not worth the consequences.
I have seen people bet house rents all schools fees and it was such a bad outcome.
I have seen families suffering because of court cases as a result of greed.
Families have been ruined because of greed.
Conclusion
Let's be content with the portion God has given us. After all, greed will only accumulate more than you need and leave it all behind when you die Worse enough greed will lead us away from something more valuable than money. Our salvation.
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:6-10).
Contentment is not having what you want but loving what you have.
Take note
1 Corinthians 6:10
nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
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