Greed
Yesterday, I wrote about character and how it is developed. Since I try to be brief in these posts, I did not give any examples of good character and bad character. However, this afternoon I was sent a great example to get us all to think. I pray that it helps us focus in on the truth of what I tried to say yesterday.
I hate greed. It is a terrible character quality. Greed in individuals, in families, in companies, and in societies is a very destructive force. It is selfishness on steroids. It leads to many other sins, and it leads to other people being hurt and mistreated personally and financially. The Bible speaks against greed from the beginning to the end. Jesus is abundantly clear about sharing what we have with others. Paul admonishes us to work so we can have money to give to others in need. The nature of God is unselfish, giving love. That is why Jesus came to die for us. He left Heaven, lived a sinless life, died on the cross to shed His blood for our sins, because He is love, and He wanted to do for us what we could never do for ourselves. The world would be so much better, if we were free from greed, and we all lived in unselfish love.
However, the only way to have that character quality is for people to come to know the Lord Jesus and to be changed by the Holy Spirit, so that they do not live by the flesh but by the Spirit. We can't teach away greed. We can't legislate away greed, as much as I wish we could. No type of human government can solve the greed problem. Only Jesus frees us from greed. If we are to have a society free from greed, it will be a society of believers, who are practicing their faith in sincerity and truth. That is my dream. I have had it since I was a teenager. When I met Christ, I often thought that it would be wonderful to have a society that did not need money, where people just worked and helped each other out as God desires. Soon, I found out that the world is under the sway of Satan, and only evangelizing the world could set us free.
I pray that this will give us all an added urgency to share Christ with those around us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 43-45.
I hate greed. It is a terrible character quality. Greed in individuals, in families, in companies, and in societies is a very destructive force. It is selfishness on steroids. It leads to many other sins, and it leads to other people being hurt and mistreated personally and financially. The Bible speaks against greed from the beginning to the end. Jesus is abundantly clear about sharing what we have with others. Paul admonishes us to work so we can have money to give to others in need. The nature of God is unselfish, giving love. That is why Jesus came to die for us. He left Heaven, lived a sinless life, died on the cross to shed His blood for our sins, because He is love, and He wanted to do for us what we could never do for ourselves. The world would be so much better, if we were free from greed, and we all lived in unselfish love.
However, the only way to have that character quality is for people to come to know the Lord Jesus and to be changed by the Holy Spirit, so that they do not live by the flesh but by the Spirit. We can't teach away greed. We can't legislate away greed, as much as I wish we could. No type of human government can solve the greed problem. Only Jesus frees us from greed. If we are to have a society free from greed, it will be a society of believers, who are practicing their faith in sincerity and truth. That is my dream. I have had it since I was a teenager. When I met Christ, I often thought that it would be wonderful to have a society that did not need money, where people just worked and helped each other out as God desires. Soon, I found out that the world is under the sway of Satan, and only evangelizing the world could set us free.
I pray that this will give us all an added urgency to share Christ with those around us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 43-45.