Slaying Dragons: Greed — Wednesday
1 Timothy 6:6
Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. (NLT)
I was in a meeting recently with some folks I highly respect and have the honor of calling friends, and we found ourselves talking about busyness: how living a fast-paced life is so celebrated in today’s society. At one point, someone mentioned they actually don’t feel that pressure to always look forward to the next thing—that they find a lot of joy in the quiet moments. The more we talked, the more we realized the reason they don’t feel that pressure is because they are content right where they are, right in this moment, in this season, with the people they’re with and the things they have and the God they serve.
Paul said something similar in his letter to the church at Philippi: “...I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11b-13).
When we really break it down into simple terms, greed is the opposite of contentment. It stands at odds with what God desires for us. He didn’t create us to always strive for the next thing and to compare our lives constantly with those around us. Instead, He created us to rest in Him knowing that we are created in His image—as scripture says, “fearfully and wonderfully made.”
I’ve been reading Annie F. Downs’ book That Sounds Fun lately, and in that book, she talks a lot about a figurative “Eden,” as in the Garden of Eden. If you haven’t read about the beauty, peacefulness, and abundance that was Eden—stop right now, open your Bible, and read Genesis 2:8-14. The way Annie describes it, there are moments here on Earth that give us a glimpse of what Eden was and what Heaven will be. I don’t know what those moments are for you, but for me, they’re sitting along the ocean’s edge at sunset, laughing around the table with my family and a good meal, and singing in worship from the depths of my soul. In those moments, the chaos of the world doesn’t matter. It all pales in comparison to the God who created the sea and the sunset, who thought up laughter and the way being with people you love feels, and who designed us with voices and instruments to lift up to Him in praise. In those moments, there is complete contentment.
Now, I know not every moment is a walk on the beach. Sometimes family isn’t what we hope, and life gets so difficult that the idea of singing any song—much less a song of worship—is just about the last thing we feel like we can muster the strength to do. But contentment runs deeper than our best moments. It exists even when all we can do is sit in the arms of God knowing He’s got it all and we don’t have to worry about the rest.
Wednesday’s Reflection
Whether you’re feeling pressure to be like the world and always have the next thing, or you’re struggling just to make ends meet, take five minutes to just be quiet today. Put away your phone, find a quiet spot free of distractions, close your eyes, and just be quiet. Let the Lord remind you of what contentment looks like, and let Him fill your heart with peace.