Greed

 January 2, 2021

I couldn’t count the number of times I’ve read through the Proverbs, but realized this morning I’ve been misreading 1:19. Verses 10-18 look like a warning against falling in with a violent gang of robbers or burglars—those blatantly determined to accost and rob others. Verse 19 is a “gotcha” verse. The author has drawn us in with obvious warning, but he suddenly turns the tables on us: “So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.” Too often, this is me.

We don’t have to stick a gun in someone’s ribs to rob them; however it manifests itself, greed robs those unfortunate enough to fall into the greedy person’s snare. It wrenches out of its victim’s grasp whatever she isn’t strong enough to hold onto. What we don’t realize is how greed robs us of our own lives, causing us to focus on the temporary and elusive stuff that cannot satisfy the soul. 

Someone once asked John D. Rockefeller—at the time the richest man in America—“How much is enough?” Rockefeller’s response was telling: “Just a little more.” Whether it’s our unwillingness to pass on second helpings, or our decision to stuff our things in a storage locker rather than part with it, greed isn’t just the vice of the wealthy. It’s easy to look at the ultra-rich and say, “at least I don’t have THAT much,” and absolve ourselves of guilt and responsibility. I wish I were preaching to someone else, but my wife will testify that I have more junk lying around than anyone could reasonably need. 

When I stand before our Lord and he asks me, “What did you do with all I entrusted to your care,” I hope I don’t have to bow my head in shame and like the third servant in Jesus’ parable of the Talents, say, “instead of investing and multiplying it for you, I buried it.” If I am to be like one of the first two servants and hear Jesus say, Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord,” I would do well to rid myself of all the stuff that doesn’t contribute to the purposes for which he has called me to himself. Scriptures like this in Proverbs help me recalibrate my priorities, for which I am thankful tonight.