greed Archives - Pastor Terry Lema's Daily Devotions

We live in a consumer economy. That is defined as an economy that relies heavily on how much people are buying and spending. I am not an economist, but it seems to me that this type of economy is dependent on making us either use up what we have so we need more (like food, gas, etc.) or making us desire or want more. In other words, encouraging us to be covetous or greedy.

Since retiring I’m spending a bit more time in front of the television than I did. I have been subjected to more commercials that are designed to make me want more … advertisements that feed greed.

I am 75 years old and I must admit I have seldom heard messages about greed, and I must also admit that I have seldom brought a message about greed. All the while, greed has spread throughout our nation and, yes, even the church.

In Mark 7, Jesus had a confrontation with the Pharisees about the traditions of the elders involving the ceremonial washing of hands, vessels, couches, etc. He pointed out that it is not what goes into a person that is important but what comes out of them.

“What comes out of a person—that defiles him. For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, promiscuity, stinginess, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a person.” [7:20-23 HCSB]

The word for greed is pleonexia, and is often translated as covetousness, avarice, aggression, or a desire for advantage. Pleonexia comes from two words meaning 1) numerically more, and 2) the desire for more (things), i.e., lusting for a greater number of temporal things that go beyond what God determines is eternally best.

I am not sure where I am going with these thoughts this morning, but it was that second meaning of the Greek word used for greed that really has me searching and thinking … “lusting for a great number of temporal things that go beyond what God determines is eternally best.”

Sin is ugly. Sin is birthed in our fallen nature. It progresses until it leads to death. James tells us “Each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.” [1:14-15 HCSB]

Most of us are aware of sin. If asked we can list them, murder, lying, adultery, and other such, but there is one especially ugly sin that seldom gets listed or even remembered. Jesus warned us about it.

“He then told them, ‘Watch out and be on guard against all greed [covetousness] because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.’” [Luke 12:15 HCSB]

Greed or covetousness as it is rendered in other translations, comes from the Greek word “pleonexia.” That is an ugly word describing an ugly sin that is often overlooked. Pleonexia is “the insatiable desire to have what rightfully belongs to others.”

Covetousness is ruthless. It arrogantly assumes that people and things are there for our own benefit. It also puts our own self-interest in the place of God, so it is linked to idolatry. [Colossians 3:5]

Christians, however, are to shift the intention of their lives from self-interest to God-interest. We are to put to death the things in our lives that block that from happening, whatever they may be. We are to turn away from anything that keeps us from fully surrendering or obeying our LORD and Savior Christ Jesus.

Be on the lookout for those “covetousness” self-interest things in life that draw us away from being transformed into the image of Jesus.

greed

Greed

An Ugly Sin