BREAKING THE POWER OF GREED
About seven in ten respondents in a survey said they
strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement: “Having more money would solve
most of my problems.” Similar proportions of people in each income bracket felt
that way, including those with salaries of $200,000 or more. Exactly how much
more money do we think we need to be happy? A survey from the financial services
company Empower put the question to about 2,000 people.
In the
survey, most people said delivering contentment would take a significant pay
bump. The respondents, who had a median salary of $65,000 a year, said a median
of $95,000 would make them happy and less stressed. The highest earners, with a
median income of $250,000, gave a median response of $350,000.
Even very
wealthy people think like this. A 2018 study asked millionaires to rate their
happiness on a scale from one to ten and, if they didn’t say ten, predict how
much money they would need to move one point higher. Slightly over half of
those with a net worth of $10 million or more said their wealth would need to
increase by at least 50%.[1]
I was
often told by American Missionaries when they went to developing countries to
preach the gospel that they were surprised to see how happy and cheerful people
experiencing poverty were, even though they hardly had any food, clothes, or a
house.
How much
money do you need to be happy? What truly makes people happy? What is one of
the root causes of tragedies, sadness, and pain worldwide? We will examine what
the Apostle Paul says about what controls all people and how to break its
devastating, powerful grip. And why God’s children must stay away from its
influence. Ephesians 5:1-7
We
will answer these questions: What causes human Greed? What does the
scripture say about Greed? The devastating impact of Greed? How can we break
the power of Greed?
I.
What causes people to become greedy?
Greed is an excessive or insatiable desire for
wealth or material gain (food, money, land, or animate/inanimate possessions)
or social value, such as status or power. Greed has been identified
as undesirable throughout history because it creates behavioral conflict
between personal and social goals. Who is a greedy person? If you describe
someone as greedy, you mean they want more of something, such as food,
money, or materials, than necessary or fair.
In the article “The Psychology
Behind Greed: What Makes Greedy People Greedy?” Patricia K. Flanigan notes what
makes some individuals constantly exhibit greedy behavior while others don’t.
The answer lies in the realm of their psychological disposition. The following
traits can be observed among those who are greedy.
1.
Fear: A fear of financial struggle or loss can manifest as needing to
accumulate more money and
resources.
2.
Competition: A competitive nature can drive a person to become overly greedy.
This can fuel a need to outdo others
and acquire more resources than they have.
3.
Scarcity Mentality: A person with a scarcity mentality may believe there will
never be enough resources. They may stockpile items or money to ensure their survival,
even though this behavior may be excessive or harmful in the long run.
4.
Envy: It is a feeling of resentment or longing for what someone else has. It
can be a significant driving force behind greedy behavior, as people strive to
obtain what they believe they lack.
5.
Lack of Compassion: A lack of empathy or care for others can lead to a person’s
unwillingness to share resources or wealth.
6.
Materialism: The desire for material
possessions can significantly cause Greed. A person may become attached to
material goods, needing to accumulate more and more of them.
7.
Addiction: Substance addiction, gambling addiction, and other types of
addiction can fuel a need for more resources, leading to Greed.
8.
Lack of Self-Awareness: Finally, a lack of self-awareness can contribute to a
person’s greedy behavior.[2]
You may have more psychological
dispositions that may turn you into a greedy person. But there is hope for you.
All these negative traits can turn into positive strengths.
II. What does the Bible say about Greed and
its devastating impact on people?
If we want to know about money, we
may pick up The Wall Street Journal or Fortune Forbes, right? But do we look at
the Bible for its uses and abuses? Andy Alcorn noted in his Book, “Money,
Possessions and Eternity,” that the Bible’s authors devoted twice as many
verses to money (about 2,350) than to faith and prayer combined. Jesus spoke more
about money than about both heaven and hell together.”[3] What does the Bible say
about Greed and its impact?
God commanded humanity to avoid Greed
or covetousness. The tenth commandment reads, “You shall not covet your
neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or
female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Exodus 20:17. Since giving the Ten Commandments, God warned people through His
prophets about the devastating impact of Greed and its consequences. Consider
these scriptures:
1.
Ecclesiastes 5:10, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth
is never satisfied with their income. This, too, is meaningless.”
2.
Deut 17:16-17, “The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses
for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them,..He must
not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate
large amounts of silver and gold.” A clear warning from God for kings and
rulers to avoid sexual immorality and Greed.
3.
Prov 11:28, “Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will
thrive like a green leaf.
4.
Prov 13:1, Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by
little makes it grow.”
5.
Prov 15:27, The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates
bribes will live.”
In the N.T, Jesus warned against the
folly of Greed by saying that wherever your treasure is there, your heart also
be. No one can serve two masters, the Lord and the money, simultaneously, etc.
The parable of a rich fool, the destiny of rich man and Lazarus, and how Greed
has hindered a rich young ruler from following God warns us to avoid Greed. I
call Greed a gateway sin because it opens a door to other sins.
Paul amounts Greed to Idolatry. Eph
5:5, “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person such a
person is an idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”
The first of the Ten Commandments warns explicitly against Idolatry. God
forbids us from making an idol of anyone or anything from anywhere and
worshipping that idol instead of Worshipping God, who alone deserves all of our
attention and Worship.
You might justify your Greed, saying
I don’t make or worship idols as millions of others in India and elsewhere do.
We, westerners, make sports, music, entertainment, and business our careers and
Patriotism as Idols, and we let them rob our joy of our true devotion and Worship
of God. What is your idol today? Whatever it is, if it is coming between you
and God, it must go.
II.
How can we break the power of Greed?
Looking at the scriptures and learning
from history, we know Greed is not a virtue we want to hold on to. Whether we
admit it or not, we are all prone to Greed, some more than others. How can we
break the power of Greed before destroying our lives?
First, follow Paul’s advice to
Timothy: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we
brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we
have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get
rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires
that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root
of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the
faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” I Timothy 6:6-10
Second, If you are given to Greed,
which is Idolatry, you need to repent and ask God to set you free from the
powerful grip of Greed. Paul urges us to deal with these two gateway sins,
sexual immorality, and Greed, ruthlessly—Col 3:5. Thirdly, the antidote for Greed
is generosity, so practice generosity. Proverbs 11:24-25, “One person gives
freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly but comes to poverty. A
generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. By cultivating empathy,
appreciating what we have, and focusing on our relationship with God, we can
break the power of Greed and live more fulfilling lives.
