Slaying Dragons: Greed — Tuesday
Exodus 20:3
“You must not have any other god but me.” (NLT)
If you’ve been around Southland for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard Scott Nickell say, “When a good thing becomes an ultimate thing, it becomes a destructive thing.” Think about it—money is a good thing. It pays our bills, we use it to buy food, to support others, to give gifts… all inherently good things. But when money becomes the ultimate thing, it becomes destructive. Love of money can destroy families and relationships, it can lead to physical unhealth when we overwork ourselves, and instead of being generous and using that money to bless others, it can cause us to actually do the opposite and hold on to every penny because we never think we have enough.
We can apply that sentiment to so many things: Valuing work is inherently good but can lead to entitlement or undue stress; valuing relationships is wonderful but can lead to codependency or people-pleasing; valuing physical health is inherently good but can lead to obsession and, ironically, physical unhealth. All of these, and so many more I could list, are examples of greed… wanting more of something than necessary. They’re also examples of idolatry.
God was clear when He gave Moses the 10 Commandments. We are to have no other gods before Him. He is the only One worthy of our worship. We know this, but it can be hard, can’t it? When the world says to do what feels right and put yourself first… to look your best, be your best, be the best. That’s not what God has for us, though, and contrary to popular belief, it is not about us. He created us to worship Him and reflect Him, not be our own god or anyone else’s.
In Matthew 5:5, Jesus said, “God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.” Humble doesn’t mean passive, but it does indicate submission to God—the only God—and caring less about ourselves and our own influence, and more about Him and His influence. We are to live our lives for His glory. When we lay down idolatry and greed, we can become humble followers of Jesus, and the eternal reward for that is well worth it.
Tuesday’s Reflection
Take some time today to be grateful for what you have. Give that thanks to God, and then make a commitment to use what He’s given you to glorify Him alone.