Greed Spoils the Heart

You hear about it on the news, but I have watched it happen. Someone dies and immediately the family begins to fight over the inheritance. It isn’t just reality tv. It is real life. The idea of ‘getting our hands on’ wealth can, and often does, bring out the worst in people. Alas, there is nothing new under the sun.

At that time, while Jesus was teaching one of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?” And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor about your body, what you shall put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider. the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be of anxious mind. For all the nations of the world seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well.”

Luke 12:13-15, 22-31

We tell ourselves, “It isn’t greed if it is mine.” Just because we think we deserve an inheritance, doesn’t make it so. This is how greed can spoil our heart. It changes the way we think about life. I counsel people all the time to be content with what they already have. We may not have as much as ‘the other guy’ but we have more than ‘that other guy.’

When we learn to be content with what we already have, then we don’t get anxious about what we ‘could’ have. Forget about what we ‘should’ have. When it comes to possessions, there is no such thing as should. Put simply, we have what we have and that should be enough for our hearts.

Every time we hear about greed in the Scriptures, our attention is refocused to ‘what we need’ as provided by God. The birds and flowers are blessed with everything they need from God. What makes us think that God would leave us ‘out to dry’ but make sure birds and flowers have what they need?

And yet, we see the wealth of others and are tempted to believe we deserve more. Our hearts are never content. The more we have, the more we desire. When greed enters our hearts, there is no satisfaction possible.

Being content doesn’t mean sitting back and ‘enjoying life’ without any effort. Even the birds and flowers are constantly working (in their way) to survive. We should work. Even Saint Paul teaches that we should work if we want to eat. It is when greed causes us to work for the sole purpose of getting more that our heart spoils.

I knew a family once that was very successful, but the father was never home with his family. He had to be reminded that he worked to provide food, clothing, and shelter for his family. He wasn’t working to build an empire for a family he didn’t see.

The Gospel today ends with, “Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be yours as well.” If we have the proper focus on our work and our desire, God will provide what we need. He always has and He always will.

I will close with something practical. If you are working ‘to the bone’ and don’t have time for God and your family, greed has spoiled your heart. No among of work should keep you from either. It isn’t because life is too hard. It is because you are chasing the wrong thing. Seek God and you will find the rest.

You probably make time for clients and work projects. You do this to have a successful career. If you can make time for work, then you can make time for God and your family. Give it a try.