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“GREED, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, IS GOOD” (Michael Douglas who played unscrupulous corporate raider, Gordon Gekko, in the 1987 American film “Wall Street”, directed by Oliver Stone and portrayed the excesses of the 80s.

The word “Greed” has such negative connotations, and I’m sure not many of us would chose to be labelled a greedy person. Yet, we all, in some way engage in this game of greed, for it is, in essence “an intense, and selfish desire for something” (Oxford American Dictionary), usually wealth, power or food.

We are fallen human creatures, that is, we are sinful people. We desire that which is often not good for us and ultimately destructive. For some, this is the battle of temptation, we desire one thing, but don’t really want to be pulled that way! For others, it is a conscious, in some ways, evil choice. Money or power at the expense of morals. My position is more important than others. I want… I will get… whatever it takes…

The Bible, seems to me, to be opposed to this kind of lifestyle. It is not, as some would say, opposed to wealth, but it is the attitude of the heart that often goes with the accumulation of possessions, or power, that corrupts and takes advantage of the poorer or weaker members of society that God has much to say about.

One of my favourite passages in the Bible talks about the God I worship as “awesome…not partial…takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing…” It continues, “You shall also love the stranger…” (Deuteronomy 10:17-19)

God is often seen as being irrelevant, an angry, judging God, who is just waiting for you to screw up and zap you to kingdom come. I don’t see this. Yes, he does hold people accountable for what they do to others, and in relation to their covenant obedience, but that is not evil. That is an act of love.

So what is God’s call, what should be the churches response, in light of greed, corruption, injustice, and the immense focus on clinging to what we have materially?

GIVE IT AWAY…
We are called to participate in, and show the abundance of God’s heart. In the midst of crisis, fear, we have an opportunity, not just in terms of money, to demonstrate that God is a generous, loving father, who has given the ultimate gift of all, that of life, through Jesus Christ.

Radical? For sure
Stupid? In the eyes of some, most likely!

But I would much rather take part in an act of generosity, than an act of greed. eventually, all this material stuff will cease to have value, and what will we be left with?

Related posts:

1. In God's Economy – Generosity (part 1)
2. God's Economy – Generosity (Part 3) It's in your jeans…I mean Genes!
3. God's Economy – Generosity (Part 4)
4. In God's Economy – Generosity
5. God's Economy – Safeguarding against Corruption