A few days ago, I skimmed the surface on this subject and I encourage you to read that, as I’m going to launch into this post from there.
The Word tells us that the love of money is a root of all evil. Oftentimes this is what we base our perception of greed upon. Money.
Looking more closely at this scripture, it’s more of a love issue than a money issue. Where we set our affections will either be our victory or our demise. It’s up to us.
You see, we have simply glossed over the context of 1 Timothy 6:10. We can easily quote the first part of that passage, yet, couldn’t begin to recite the second half.
There’s a second half? Yes.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves though with many sorrows.
What’s worse is that the preceding verse is just as vital. (vs. 9). But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
Obviously, these are not waters to swim in.
And just to be clear, the love of money is not the root but a root of evil. Not every evil thing has to do with money or greed. But being a root, it will work its way deep into the ground of our heart and into many areas of our life. Roots seek the waters of our life and they will tap in and suck the life-giving flow from us if at all possible. These roots hotly pursue the river of true prosperity within us, in order to leave us dry and barren.
Perhaps feeling dry and unproductive are symptomatic of greed at work in our lives. It’s worth investigating.
Greed will begin to pull us away from our faith, leaving us at a loss and alienating us from God and one another. One of the meanings of the word strayed (as found in 1 Timothy 6:10) is separated from the group or main body. The body of Christ, is unified by love. Love for God and one another. When we begin to invest love in other things, we stray. Our interests reflect our attendance…not only to church services but to ministry as a whole. Our function changes. Our production wanes. Our prayer life suffers. Our relationships suffer.
What’s more is that greed doesn’t just stop there. I love what Wikipedia has to say about it.
(Greed) may apply to the need to feel more excessively moral, social or otherwise better than someone else.
(Marked by) pursuit of wealth, status, and power.
Greed is about hierarchy. It’s a “one upper”. It stands to reason that greed could very well be generated from a legalistic, works mentality.
The need to feel more excessively moral runs rampant in the church today. Brothers and sisters in Christ exercising competitive nature among themselves. Living under the microscope of perfection, deprived of grace.
Greed not only seeks after “things” persay but power and status, bringing idolatry to the rungs on the ladder of promotion. Having the mindset, “I attained to this, in order to get here.”
It’s not working. It will never work. Jesus attained…alone. In His great love, He made us something we could never be without Him. Moral beings. He took our infirmities or better known as our personal, moral failures.
And socially better? Ha! Jesus ate with the prostitutes, and the publicans, the tax collectors and the sinners. Let’s face it. He ate with me. He ate with you.
Tax collectors. The irony of it! These guys were known for taking more than what was necessary and pocketing it for themselves. They were known for their greed! Matthew 11:19 says, The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” But wisdom is justified of her children.
True prosperity isn’t influenced by greed. Prosperity isn’t intimidated by accusation.
It’s one thing to be greedy. It’s another thing altogether to be wise. Jesus was and is wise! Wisdom is better than riches and wisdom is justified of her children. True prosperity will sit down with them and offer something more; something real.
It’s the hour to be wisdom’s children and to become wise stewards. In order to steward the things for God effectively, we must abandon our’selves’.
I can’t have both Him and me. I can’t think both Him and me. If a double minded man should not expect anything from God (James 1:7), a single minded man can expect everything from God! And that’s not greedy!
