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Greed vs. Contentment (Part 2)

Greed is a heart condition. It can lead to the ruin of many good and perfect things. We must change the heart in order to change from greed to contentment.

Greed ruins the spiritual mind. “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom. 8:5-6). Greed ruins godly leadership. An elder must “not be addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money” (1 Tim. 3:3). “Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain” (1 Tim. 3:8). Greed ruins our dependency on God. “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:31-34).

Putting greed behind us and pressing on to contentment, please consider these passages. “Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it” (Psa. 37:3-5). Contentment starts with trust in God. “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above… For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God… Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry” (Col. 3:1-5). Fighting against greed is a continual practice of keeping the right focus. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18). Paul puts before us the ultimate motivation. Heaven is worth whatever we might suffer and worth way more than what we may or may not have presently. “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Phil. 4:11). “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content” (1 Tim. 6:8). “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU’” (Heb. 13:5). Contentment recognizes who is in control and surrenders. Greed places stuff as God and will always be disappointed.