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Every Form of Greed
Every Form of Greed
A disgruntled man ordered Jesus to tell his older brother to quit being greedy. That didn’t go so well. Both were being greedy, so He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15). Greed is the obsessive desire for more, and Jesus warns against “every form” of it. Consider some different forms of greed.
1) Not sharing. “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” (Luke 12:13). Obviously the older brother had no interest in sharing, only hoarding it to himself. 2) Jealousy. He was mad because his older brother had what he wanted. 3) Entitlement. He felt he deserved a piece of the inheritance. He believed it was rightfully his, though apparently his father didn’t think so in his will. 4) Discontentment with life. He wasn’t going to be satisfied until he got that inheritance. Jesus reminded him that’s not what life’s about. 5) Impatience. This man wanted the issue solved now, not later. 6) Begrudged giving. I don’t know if the hoarding brother ever changed his mind and shared the inheritance. I do know with greed, giving is a chore. 7) Laziness. The man asking for the inheritance didn’t work for it; it was his father’s. Greed often takes shortcuts and wants something for nothing. He thought Jesus was his ticket. He thought wrong. “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed.”
