Luke 12:13-21

Luke 12:13-21

It is generally easier to see sin and vice in others than ourselves. This is especially true of sins that are culturally labeled as a virtue. In our culture we have relabeled a number of sins as virtues so completely that we as Christians have bought into those relabeling efforts and behaviors. Not only do we believe these new labels, we also practice them. In verse 15, Jesus warns us to be alert to “every form of greed”.

The Lord makes two points in these four words. First, the word greed means “abundance, more than enough, superfluity.” What is enough? We must have food, shelter, clothing, transportation, etc. But most of us are nowhere near inadequacy in any of these areas. We are often overweight, in large homes, which we use more to store our stuff than for sleeping, we sometimes donate unworn clothes to charity, and our cars are almost never, truly worn out. If we feel that more means a better life, we are part of the lie; we are greedy. And this is to say nothing of the non-essentials we collect!

Which brings us to the second point of Jesus' comment. Jesus apparently thought that there was more than one kind of greed. We generally associate greed with the excess of the super rich: mansions and yachts and outsized compensation. But there are other and subtler kinds of greed available to all of us. Every hobby has an insatiable appetite for consumption. While recreation is healthy and good it will not make life whole. Few of us aspire to a mansion in Beverly Hills, courtside seats for the Lakers, and a birthday party at a five star restaurant. But all of us imagine and aspire to an upgrade here and there and other places as well. Our consumer society and economy is built on the idea of constant, incremental upgrade. And that kind of greed will never, ever make a man rich toward God.

“Lord, open my eyes to the forms of greed that infect my heart. AMEN”