Escaping Greed’s Trap

Saturday November 27, 2021
 

Greed is that intense feeling inside us that always has us "grasping for more." It is just one item on a long list of things that make us foolish before God and vulnerable to trouble in this life. 


Adultery, greed, hate and cheating come from a person’s heart too. So do desires that are not pure, and wanting what belongs to others. And so do telling lies about others and being proud and being foolish.  (Mark 7:22 NIRV)


In some countries when people want to trap monkeys, they set a simple trap. They prepare a small box or coconut shell and put a tasty nut inside.  The hole in the container is just large enough for the monkey to put its hand inside but too small for the monkey to get its hand out when its fist is clenched.  The monkey will not let go of the nut in its clenched fist and so is easily captured.  Too often we are greedy for something that is leading us into captivity and our unwillingness to let it go keeps us from being free. 


We are greedy when we want more than what we really need, whether it is power or money or toys or even everyday things like food.
  It's the character defect behind the feeling we give credibility to when we say, "It's never enough."  We don't have to be trying to earn our second billion dollars to be greedy.  Too often we are just living with a misplaced focus on how to live securely. 



They have lost all feeling for what is right. So they have given themselves over to all kinds of evil pleasures. They take part in every kind of unclean act. And they are full of greed. This is what happens to those who are greedy. Whatever they get destroys them. Doing right sets honest people free, but people who can’t be trusted are trapped by their greed.
  (Ephesians 4:19 NIRV, Proverbs 1:19, 11:6 ERV)



God promises to provide all we need so we can live well and do wonderful things.
 

Some people are greedy and never have enough. Good people are generous and have plenty.  (Proverbs 21:26 ERV)



Prayer:  Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I so easily slip into greed.  Help me to live life based on Your principles rather than on what I hear and see around me.  You promise to supply all my needs and I place my trust in You to do that today, and every day.  Amen

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