Where's The Shampoo!

This week we are talking about contentment and the opposite of contentment is lust, greed, and envy. Today our focus is on greed.

Greed means an excessive desire for getting or having something, especially wealth; a desire for more than one needs or deserves, wanting or taking all one can get with no thought of others.

If you have ever raised a toddler, you have heard the ever famous words, 'It's Mine!' My girls are now 9 and 12 and I still here arguments over 'borrowing things'. In fact, I would have to say I am just as guilty of the same behaviour. Being a mom of two girls, my bathroom tends to get raided several times a week, for curling irons, blow dryers, brushes, shampoo, razors, bobby pins, and the list goes on and on. Please note: they have a bathroom stocked with all of the above necessities. It just seems that MINE are a bit more attractive.

So I am standing naked in the shower and getting ready to wash my hair, I look down, and there is no shampoo! I more than a few times have I yelled at the top of my lungs, 'Where's MY stuff!' 'Why can't anyone put MY stuff away!'. 'Someday I will have all MY stuff in it's place!' Which is usually accompanied by the slamming of a door, as I stomp soaking wet from their bathroom back into MY shower!

Even the dog in the house gets protective of HER new chew bone not wanting any of us to come near her while she is enjoying her delectable treat!

No wonder in the Bible greed is mentioned as one of the all-encompassing sins we battle. Looking into our house, I can believe that is true! We have an innate selfishness nature that we have to continually battle. In fact it begins the minute we are born. In order to get fed or changed we have to fuss or cry. As we grew into our toddler years, we had to learn how to share. As adults we easily get caught up in the world's views of it's mine and I need more!

Jesus taught a great lesson on greed in Luke 12:13 - 21.

Someone out of the crowd said, "Teacher, order my brother to give me a fair share of the family inheritance." He replied, "Mister, what makes you think it's any of my business to be a judge or mediator for you?"

Speaking to the people, he went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot."

Then he told them this story: "The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: 'What can I do? My barn isn't big enough for this harvest.' Then he said, 'Here's what I'll do: I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll gather in all my grain and goods, and I'll say to myself, Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!'

Just then God showed up and said, 'Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?' "That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God."

Just the other day, Milo and I were talking about how we would react if we lost our home in a tornado or fire. Milo's reaction was 'It's just stuff.' I have to admit I was a bit more, "well, what about?" We both agreed you can not know your reaction to such a tradegy until you have experienced it and we sympathized with anyone who has suffered such a loss.

Jesus share such a profound statement in the above message when he said, 'Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.'

Unless we are vigilant, greed can easily exert it's influence in our lives. Once established, being driven by needing more and more can easily cause our lives to lose any sense of balance and harmony. We have to work harder, do more, go more, in order to keep accumulating things that only temporarily make us happy. Only God through His Holy Spirit can free us from the bonds of greed in our lives and help us to see that the most important thing is our relationship with Him and the relationships we have with those around us.

My prayer for you today is that you have contentment and satisfaction in your life based on your relationship Christ and not of the 'things' in this world

Blessings,

Jill