“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 12:15
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Wide receivers get bigger contracts when they catch more passes. It’s not easy to keep all receivers happy on a team if one receiver is featured more than the others, or a coach wants to run the ball more. Sometimes receivers neglect downfield blocking because they are thinking too much about their personal statistics.
Greed makes us unhappy when, in reality, we actually have everything we need.
When God placed Adam and Eve in the perfect Garden of Eden, they should have been satisfied, but the devil convinced them to want more when he enticed them to eat the forbidden fruit. And most know the rest of the story: They were kicked out of paradise as a result.
This tendency to be dissatisfied when we should be content continues to be a problem. Even though Jesus promised eternal life in Heaven after death, and for the provision of our basic needs during this current life, people demanded more from Him. Somebody approached Jesus about this in Luke 12: “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).
Jesus didn’t feed the greed. Though it’s good to work hard and earn what we can, we shouldn’t always be wanting more of everything and hoarding it for ourselves. When we learn to be thankful for the air we breathe, family and friends, as well as a loving God who provides for us, we are happier even if we have less stuff.
Though most of us would want an easy life with no problems, life is often hard and we deal with unfairness. We need to listen to God and be content regardless of our circumstances. As the apostle Paul continued to live for Jesus, his life got tougher, but he stopped fretting and rested in the Lord. “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13).
Are you feeding the greed, or turning to and trusting the Lord to provide everything He has for your life? We’d all do well to learn the secret of being content in any and every situation.
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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