“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15).
TEXT — Luke 12:13-21
Message
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word, avaricious, as “to be greedy of gain, to be excessively acquisitive, especially in seeking to hoard riches.” An avaricious spirit is the tendency or desire of wanting to have more and never satisfied with whatever one has. It is a wanton spirit that Christians must guard against.
There was a large crowd around Jesus as He was teaching His disciples. One of those people who probably had a dispute with his brother and felt cheated in the allotment of his share of their father’s property, came to Jesus seeking justice. He wanted Christ to divide the inheritance for them. Jesus could have told him what is right, but He did not want to dabble into such civil affairs, as it could eventually lead to a conflict with the Jews and distract Him from His mission on earth. He, therefore, used the parable to warn the people to beware of covetousness.
Greed in the pursuit of wealth is linked to idolatry, which can endanger the soul. It leads to enslavement of the soul and it is extremely difficult for someone to please God when he is enslaved to riches. The love of wealth and riches gives a false sense of security and leads to temptation. This is why Jesus warned His disciples to be careful of covetousness. Apostle Paul also warned that the love of money is the root of all evil.
As Christians, we must not be too attached to earthly possessions. The rich among us must be ready to place their wealth at the disposal of God and use it for the expansion of His Kingdom. They must be ready to distribute to the needs of the less privileged around them. While riches on their own are not sinful, amassing them to the extent that they seize your heart and take the place of God makes it a transgression.
Thought for the day
Covetousness, like hard drug, is intoxicating, addictive and damning.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
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