GREED

Years ago there was a pretzel stand in front of a building in New York. A generous businessman wanted to help the owner grow his business and eventually become successful. Each day he would put a quarter on the counter and walk away without taking a pretzel.

One day as he was leaving his quarter, the owner said, “Sir…”

Stopping quickly, he said, “I presume that you are going to ask me why I never take the pretzels?”

“No,” she said rather haughtily. “I just wanted to tell you that the price of the pretzels is fifty cents.”

In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he warned them to “Put to death…evil desires and greed which leads to idolatry and most other sins.” He then made an astonishing suggestion to accomplish this: “consider yourselves as though you are dead.” He suggests that we make a conscious effort every day to identify and banish any greedy desire as soon as we sense it growing in our minds, extinguish it and not allow it to grow which will lead to our destruction.

Everyday our minds are stimulated by ideas, thoughts, and suggestions that imply, “If only you had this, you would be satisfied or if you achieve this goal you will be successful and therefore happy.” Not so!  “Things” cannot fill the empty space in our hearts because it has been reserved for God Himself. Only Christ, Who stands at the door to our hearts, gently knocking and patiently waiting to come in, can remove the loneliness we feel without His presence.

Prayer: Lord, give us a clear vision of the peace and satisfaction that can be ours with You in our hearts. Convict us of any desire to put “things” in Your “space.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today:   Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5