Men's Traps - Greed Pt.2

Proverbs 28:25 – A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.

The Greek word for greed is “pleonexia” which literally conveys a thirst for having more. The problem with greed is when our desires for money, things or recognition start to outweigh the desire for God and the things that He provides.

It is not a sin, nor is it wrong to be wealthy – but to make earthly wealth and obtain riches a primary desire in life can be costly and puts our eyes in a direction that is off of God and on to what the world looks at as success and significance.

Luke 12:15 – Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.

For men especially, the thing we have to understand and remind ourselves of daily is that our

significance, our worth, our value does not come from a job title, the size of your home, your level of income or the next vacation you are planning. Your value comes from being who God says you are.

One of the problems with greed is that it takes us in a direction opposite of something God very much values…generosity. Greed is the desire to obtain, generosity is the desire to give away.

There is nothing wrong with working hard (as a matter of fact, it is Godly to work hard – our next blog will talk about that) and providing for your family and the needs of those God has called you to steward.

We must also realize and remember that being a good steward is also investing our time, talent and treasure in becoming “rich toward God” (Luke 15:21).

How can we escape from the trap of greed?

1. Be Generous: 1 Timothy 6:10 – 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.” -It’s

the LOVE of money, not money specifically that is the root of evil. This is why generosity is so

important. Practicing generosity creates space between us and greed. Every time you choose

to be generous, you are making sure your money (and your time, talent) are not your master.

2. Be Content: Every time you make a choice to thank God for what you have and to celebrate

others success, you are filling your heart with peace and contentment, leaving no room for

greed.

3. Stop Comparing Yourself: We have to quit keeping score with other people. No matter where

you look, you’ll always seem to find someone who has something more and better”. Our

satisfaction and joy come from Jesus. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says that if we’ll seek God first,

we’ll find everything we want and need.

Each of us should pay attention and examine whether selfishness and greed exist in our hearts.

Where are our eyes, what are we pursuing and what values most to us – impressing God or impressing man?