Gratitude Or Greed?

Aesop was a Greek slave who became famous for writing a number of famous fables. One of his stories involved a dog, a bone, a stream and a bridge.

As the dog was crossing the bridge carrying his bone, he looked down at the water beneath him. To his surprise, he thought that the bone in the other dog’s mouth was larger.

In his greed he opened his mouth to try to snatch the bigger bone from the other dog. However, when he opened his mouth he dropped his bone into the water. Then he had nothing. The water in the stream carried the bone to the river and then into the sea.

Paul compares people who are greedy with those who are immoral and impure and assures his readers that they will not inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. In fact, he says, “greedy people are actually idolaters” – and indeed they are. An idolater is one who worships and wants things more than they do God and puts the worship of things above and beyond the worship of God.

It is not wrong to want nice things. But if we want things more than we want God, it takes our minds away from Him and changes our priorities to the things of this world. As Christians we must be careful to focus our mind and place our treasures in Heaven with Jesus.

Prayer: Give us discerning minds and faithful hearts, Father, to desire those things that are best for us. May we be careful and cautious at all times to honor You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Ephesians 5:5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.