Slaying Dragons: Greed — Thursday
Matthew 25:23
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (NIV)
Some of the wealthiest people I know, really don’t have much by earthly standards. When I was younger, I used to spend a lot of time with my great-aunt and uncle. They were kind, godly people who, because they were unable to have kids of their own, treated my parents like their children, and my sister and me as grandchildren. I can remember many sleepovers at their house, summer trips every July, and loads of picnics in their backyard. (They were also endlessly patient because my sister and I would put on full-scale made-up productions using whatever props we could scrounge up, and—bless them—they sat and watched each and every single one in its entirety.)
One of the things that I will never forget about being with them is sitting on their couch reading the Bible. No matter what they were doing or where they were on any given day, in the early afternoon, they would sit together and read Scripture quietly, and then pray together—and that was no exception when I was visiting. I’d join them, and I can remember it being so quiet, I could hear every tick of the clock. And let me just be candid… Leviticus in the King James translation as a 10-year-old is not engaging in the slightest. But they would read a few chapters, and then stop and pray aloud together. That didn’t change when we went on vacation either. They always carved out time to spend with Jesus.
By the world’s standards, they were not overly wealthy. They lived in a small house. Outside of a summer trip each year where we took full advantage of AAA discounts and continental breakfasts, they didn’t spend much money. A splurge would be a trip to Dairy Queen for ice cream. But they were rich in the things that mattered. They loved the Lord, and they loved others really well. They were good stewards of what God gave them. They enjoyed the beauty of creation, they enjoyed time with the people they knew, and they were full of playfulness and laughter and joy. They cared deeply about each other and about their family and friends. Their hearts were full, and they were content because they used what they were given well and gave God the credit for all of it. The legacy they left is one of abundance.
I don’t know about you, but whether God blesses me with much or with little, I hope to live like they did—knowing not a single bit of it is mine, but using every ounce of it to glorify God so that one day, He will say to me, “Well done. You have been good and faithful.”
Thursday’s Reflection
Make a commitment to set aside time each day to read God’s Word and pray aloud either with friends, family, or on your own. Be diligent about keeping that commitment each day, and see what fruit the Lord brings in your life because of that commitment to know Him better.