Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed.
Life is not measured by how much you own.”
*Luke 12.15, NLT
The lust of avarice has so totally seized upon mankind that their wealth seems rather to possess them than they possess their wealth.
*Pliny
The Godly virtue which this sin [greed] wars against is Christian charity [love] ... and usually ignores the spiritual in favor of the temporal. To combat this sin we should seek to understand that generosity means sacrifice, and letting others to re-ceive credit or praise. To give wanting nothing in return, is the true charity which combats greed.
*Tony Warren, mountainretreatorg.net .
* * *
A young emperor went to the desert to visit an aged, wise monk.
The Emperor ordered his retinue to wait at a distance, and he approached the monk's cell alone. He removed the crown from his head and hid it. He knocked on the door to the monk's cell. The monk, upon opening the door, knew it was the Emperor, but he pretended not to recognize him. The monk welcomed the Emperor in as a fellow monk. They prayed and sat down together. Then, the Emperor began to question the monk saying,
"How are all the fathers in the desert?"
The monk replied, "They all pray for your health."
The Emperor looked about the cell and saw nothing except a small basket with bread, and the monk said to him, "Eat."
The monk dipped the bread in water, poured oil and salt on it, and he gave it to the Emperor, who ate it.
The monk gave him some water, and he drank.
The Emperor asked, "Do you know who I am?"
The monk replied, "God knows who you are."
The Emperor identified himself, and the monk bowed in homage. The Emperor said to him, "You are truly blessed, for you do not have the cares of this world. I was born to kingship, and the affairs of my empire are a constant concern to me. Daily, I dine on the richest meats and cakes and the finest wines are poured into my goblet. And, yet, today mere bread and water have satisfied me as no sumptuous feast ever has."
The young emperor marveled and went his way.
* * *
The writer of Hebrews gives us wise advice on the value of contentment, which contrasts with greed, one of the Seven Deadly Sins in Christian teaching. The passage reads:
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he [Christ] has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
*Hebrews 13.5, ESV
The Greek root for "content" in the above text means "to raise up, elevate, lift up" (Strong's Concordance). So, the Greek rendered "content" carries the literal meaning "to be possessed of unfailing strength." The English "content" is a rough equivalent, failing to communicate the idea of strength inherent to the Greek verb.
A place where contentment is much needed is in our homes and other contexts where we live among others closely. The Proverbs says:
Better a dry crust with peace
than a house full of feasting with strife.
Proverbs 17.1, HCSB
We know that the tension of discontent and strife has negative impact on health. Says Elizabeth B. Brown, in Living Successfully with Screwed-Up People:
Can your family, close friends, or those with whom you work and play make you sick? Absolutely. Why? Simply put, we are bonded to them emotionally, spiritu-ally, physically, and chemically.
Trusting the Divine Presence to meet our needs, to be present fully to us, is important for our health and those around us. If you are content, those around you are more likely to pick up on that and be content. If you are not content, those about you are more likely to share your discontent. We are, literally, emotional communities.
Where does contentment begin? With you. As a Christian the choice pertains to your relationship with God. Again, the Hebrews writer affirms: "[F]or he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" The best antidote to discontent and its consequent strife is a spiritual one - living close to God, daily ~ being thankful and trusting.
My choice is you, God, first and only.
And now I find I'm your choice!
You set me up with a house and yard.
And then you made me your heir!
*Psalm 16.5-6, The Message
* * *
1) Make a list of generous things you can do for other persons, excluding giving money.
2) What are ways we can be greedy other than greedy with money?
3) Is there an area of discontent in your life? What do you want to do to find contentment in that matter?
4) Do one act of generosity daily, expecting nothing in return.
* * *
*Charitable contributions would be appreciated to assist Brian in continuing his ministry. For contributions, contact Brian at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Brian's book of spiritual love poetry, An Ache for Union: Oneness with God through Love, can be ordered through major booksellers or the Cokesbury on-line store, cokesbury.com .
*Brian K. Wilcox, a United Methodist Pastor, lives in Southwest Florida. He is a vowed member of Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in South Georgia. He lives a contemplative life and seeks to inspire others to enjoy a more intimate relationship with Christ. Brian advocates for a spiritually-focused, experiential Christianity and renewal of the Church through addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons.
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