3 Sneaky Things About Greed
Daily Wise: Such is the fate of all who are greedy for gain. It ends up robbing them of life. — Proverbs 1:19 NLT
Merriam-Webster Definition of Greed: a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (such as money) than is needed.
Who is Greedy?
When I think of greed, I think of corporate embezzler types who steal hard-earned pensions. Or maybe my older brother who used to “take a sip” of my juice when I was a little kid, then hand me the empty glass when he was finished. (We’ll talk about grudges another day…)
Greedy people take things from others, usually from the poor or naive. And I mean naive in the most gracious way. Simple-hearted people who expect honesty and integrity from others.
Greedy people gain at the expense of others.
But this nugget of wisdom in Proverbs looks longer down the path. (That’s what wisdom does, by the way…it looks past the short term toward the lasting result.)
And the definition in Merriam-Webster reaches a little deeper than what we normally consider.
So here’s 3 sneaky things about greed.
- Greedy people rob from themselves in the worst kind of way. The way that matters most. Other people are abused by their actions, but greedy people get the worst of it. As usual, the wicked build their own gallows.
- Greed isn’t just for the rich. It’s a condition of the heart. You can be poor and be greedy too. Greed, according to the definition, is a selfish desire for excess. You can have that desire even if you don’t have a hill of coin.
- And lastly, greed is driven to accumulate more than is needed. That bar is a lot lower than we’re comfortable with. And it begs the question, How much is needed? That’s a good question to ask, and ask often. Just to keep that sneaky desire in check.
Punch greed in the face. Be generous today! With your time, with your money, with your words. Any way you can.
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