Scripture: Luke 12:13-15
Someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus said to him, “Man, who appointed me as judge or referee between you and your brother?” Then Jesus said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourself against all kinds of greed. After all, one’s life isn’t determined by one’s possessions, even when someone is very wealthy.”
Thought for the Day: Maybe you learned from the movie entitled Seven – that is, the Seven Deadly Sins. They are: Pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed and sloth. The Seven Deadly Sins are not listed in scripture under that title. In fact, they developed over time within Christian tradition. Many people have argued over which one is the worst. I have heard good arguments for slothfulness (laziness) or envy (yearning for what isn’t mine), but at the end of the day, I tend to think greed is the single most powerful and destructive sin among the seven. Maybe it is because I see the repercussions of greed within our national culture and throughout the world. With greed, people are very good at hiding it within some political or religious ideology. Greed is even presented in the words of Gordon Gekko (a character from the movie, Wall Street) as good. We tend to honor and celebrate people of wealth as if a mountain of money is the highest achievement. Jesus doesn’t seem to believe greed is ever good, for he warns his disciples to “Guard yourself against all kinds of greed,” with the emphasis on all. What inspires you? Defines you? Drives you? Greed is always there wanting our attention. For that reason, Jesus is right when he says, “Watch out!”
Prayer: Let me be driven by a desire to have more of you in my life, O Giver of Light and Love, instead of the desire to have more worldly stuff that has no ultimate meaning for your Kingdom. Amen.
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