Those who trust in their riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
Proverbs 11:28

For the next few days, we’ll look more deeply at the sins of the heart that hinder the cross-shaped life. First up is greed. Greed is rightly associated with money, or more to the point, an unhealthy love of money. But if we stop there, we miss not only what greed really is but also how to confront it. Greed, like gluttony, is about wanting more and more and more, and the desired thing doesn’t have to be wealth. It can be attention, possessions, other people’s time or affirmation, and more. Where gluttony is ultimately a search for satisfaction, greed is a quest for security. 

We know that God is our source of security, but dependence is hard. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’re afraid to depend wholly on him, so we “hedge our bet” you might say. Fearful that he might not provide, we instead accumulate what we think we need to make us feel secure. When the feeling proves fleeting, we gather more...and more...and more. 

Most of us assume that we’re not greedy, but we’re probably wrong. There’s something we’re gathering up and holding close, afraid there won’t be enough. How exhausting is the worry! How tiring the envy toward those who have what we want! (See how vices so often connect?) God’s love and grace and goodness are freely and abundantly given. We are secure in him and his promises. 

God, help me to see what I greedily gather up to make me feel secure. I cannot in my own strength simply stop being greedy for that thing, so would you remind me of how freely you have given me your love, your grace, and your forgiveness? Help me to trust in your abundance and rest in the security you provide.