Greed

And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15

How much is enough?  How many things in our life do we need before we can feel secure?  Jesus tells his followers to be on guard against all kinds of greed because he understands how easy it is to get sucked into a materialistic lifestyle.  When we think of greed we often confine our thinking narrowly.  We think of the super rich scrooge like person who has achieved their wealth by depriving others and is a terrible and miserly person.  This is greed but only an extreme version.  The spiritual issue Jesus is concerned with is having anything come before God--it is about idolatry.  In terms of our possessions, greed takes the form of possessions possessing us.  Are there things you accumulate and collect?  Are there things you cannot live without?  This would be a good place to begin to take inventory. 
The cultural phenomenon we need to be aware of in regards to possessions is our insatiable appetite for more.  It is not just that we have too much stuff, but it is the frequency that we feel we must replace the old with the new.  I find myself getting lured into this kind of thinking frequently.  We need a new TV because our old one isn't a flat screen high definition.  The old one still works fine.  We need new phones because they don't have internet or other new features, but our old phones still work.  We sometimes dream of new furniture that would be updated and stylish, but our current furniture is still functional and comfortable.  In the past I have found myself thinking of new cars, a new house, and new gadgets that would make life more enjoyable.  This is the lie we all buy into--that new stuff we make our lives better.  Sometimes we do need something new, but mostly we want it.  Our desire for more becomes an appetite and perhaps an addiction.  It also keeps us from being thankful for what we have and makes contentment impossible.  Jesus knew that kind of anxiety-filled life that a possession driven mentality produces.  He knew the lure of abundance and the false comfort of things.  He knew and warned us.  May we take a deep look at our own lives and be on guard!