Greed is a desire to acquire wealth or possessions beyond the needs of the individual, especially when this accumulation denies others access to those resources’
Thomas Acquinas said ‘it is a sin directly against one’s neighbour since one man can not over abound in external riches without another lacking them’
We have been born in a time of wealth escalation and generally have the ability to gain more than any other generation but with this escalation comes a greater responsibility for us.
The challenge is that greed has been normalised, Economists recommend it, Politicians favour it in policy and Advertisers tell us our lives are incomplete without certain things. An economy driven by consumption and governed with promises of increasing prosperity, because no one dare promise anything less, will inevitably lead to the depletion of the worlds resources so that life will become quite simply…unsustainable.
Sociologists tell us that ‘Western happiness has declined precisely in tandem with the rise of affluence’. Economists call this the Law of ‘Diminishing Returns’ (The New Car smell…once its gone we need to trade in)
What Greed does...Sadly, Greed deceives us and leads us to embrace sinful behaviours, read the story of Naboth’s Vineyard in 1 Kings 21 and discover the impact of greed.
Some scriptures to consider about this topic:
Luke 12:13-43 (particularly v15, 34)
1 Timothy 6:6-10
Colossians 3:5
Action Steps- Acknowledge that greed could be an issue we need to face in our lives. Invite members of your LifeGroup to reflect on areas of their own life and discuss if there are examples where this has been a challenge in the past.
- We must learn to trust God for our needs.
Take a few minutes to discuss practical steps where we can learn to trust God...
- Sabbath Principle – allows us to enjoy the fruits of our labour, enjoy your rest, reflect, say thankyou to God
- Tithing Principle – first part of your income says I can trust in God to supply the rest of what I need
- Volunteering or serving in a ministry
- We all need to develop an Enough button (Be Content)
- Discuss some ways you can practice generosity
Sample Discussion Questions
- How is greed deadly today?
- How can we find contentment in life?
- Give an example of how you have practiced generosity.
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