The Danger Of Covetousness
Covetousness is what happens when you see someone else’s possessions and want them for yourself. It’s part envy and part greed, and completely sinful. But what’s so dangerous about that kind of desire?
Well, like any sin, its first effect is to draw you away from a right relationship with God. Envy can also destroy your relationships with other people. When you’re zeroing in on getting and keeping what you want, you’re putting your fleshly desires in God’s place. Selfishness obliterates your ability to love God and other people.
One problem with a materialistic mindset is that you start to believe “more is always better”, and you never have enough. Ultimately, covetousness is just a treadmill of frustration and desire. In Ecclesiastes, King Solomon calls it “chasing after the wind.”
Jesus warns his followers against this sin, but he also gives them-–and us-–the key to a better way of living: “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions”.
In other words, you won’t find lasting satisfaction in getting more stuff. Material things just can’t give you the life you crave. So, what kind of abundance does produce life?”
Finding Fulfillment In God
As Luke 12 recounts, Jesus gives the answer in a story we know as “The Parable of the Rich Fool”. He tells of a rich man who is so enamored of his possessions that he decides to tear down his storehouses and build bigger ones, promising himself a long and relaxing retirement.
Before the rich man can fulfill his selfish dreams, God comes to him and says, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” Jesus’s next words serve as a warning, but also a promise for those who “have ears to hear”: “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
As always, Jesus is addressing the hearts of his followers. He knows we live in a physical world, surrounded by desirable things. But God created men and women for more than just temporary worldly pleasures and achievements. According to Ecclesiastes 3:11, He has also set eternity in the human heart.
What we really want, at our core, is abundant life. What we want is God Himself. To possess a relationship with the Lord is to be full of His abundance – to be “rich toward God”.
Here’s what Jesus says about this in John 10:9. “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Experiencing God’s Abundance
Throughout the New Testament, and specifically in the Parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus urges us to take the focus off “me” and “my stuff” and put it where it belongs–on Him. True abundance comes from a personal, intimate relationship with God, through Christ.
In John 15:5 Jesus confirms this: “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
The tragedy of the Rich Fool is not that his life was cut short…but that he was looking for abundance in all the wrong places. In his pride and greed, he gave up the opportunity to abide in God and serve others. He failed to choose a life that was eternally “rich toward God”. Instead, he pursued a foolish life that was rich toward himself.
So, are you experiencing abundant life? If not, here’s what you can do right now to turn things around: First, get things right between you and the Lord. Surrender your life to Christ. Here’s the promise from John 1:12 “to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”
When your desires are getting in the way, and pride and envy are making you miserable, tell the Lord about it and ask for his help. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Another action you can take to experience God’s abundance is to read God’s Word. Check out a Bible reading app like Bible Project, Read Scripture, or Through the Word. Or just pick up a Bible and read the Gospel of John. Finally, find a body of believers who can encourage you and hold you accountable. The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone!
Today's topic was drawn from our new study guide entitled Rich Toward God. We'd like to invite you to get a copy for personal study, or get copies for everyone in your Bible study group to experience it together. Go to FaithFi.com to learn more.
On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:
- I’m looking to buy a property for business use and I’m wondering if I could use my 401(k) funds without penalty to make that purchase?
- I’m getting ready to retire since I’m 62 years old and have multiple 401(k) accounts. Should I combine those or keep them separate?
- A good Christian friend of mine is in a lot of debt. I’ve tried so long to get this friend to see how great it is to be debt-free but I’m running out of ways to try and encourage him to do that so he stops throwing his money away. Any thoughts?
- Other than a 401(k), is there any other type of avenue where one can reduce their taxes? I’m currently paying about $1,000 a week in federal taxes.
Resources Mentioned:
- Your Money Counts: The Biblical Guide to Earning, Spending, Saving, Investing, Giving, and Getting Out of Debt by Howard Dayton
- Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
- Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA)
- FaithFi App
Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.
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