Greed (also known as avarice or covetousness) is a familiar and common sin. It might be defined as the willful desire and drive for more than I need. Gluttony and envy are it close cousins in the list of the seven deadly sins. much of our economic system depends on it for its health. We are a people who desire more than we need. And the best way to allow this particular vice to grow is to redefine the word "need" or encourage people to confuse it with the word "want."
Greed comes in all sizes. The spectacular proportions of the greed I mentioned in passing last week in naming Lehman Brothers is an easy and dangerous target. Dangerous because it distracts us from our smaller but no less perilous covetousness. Just because I don't have the opportunity to sin with large amounts of other people's money does not mean I am free from sinning with my own.
The avaricious become one of two things, spendthrifts or misers. Both misuse money - the first in the thoughtless expending of it, the second in failing to use it at all. Money, as a resource, can do great good. Wasting it or stockpiling it is bad stewardship. The misers exist, but are less obvious in our culture; the spendthrifts a dime a dozen. And there are so many opportunities for the spendthrifts! Good Christian opportunities at that. Check out your local Christian bookstore - a more apt name is the Christian Knick-knack store. They stuffed with ceramic and plastic trinkets which, interesting as they may be (MAY being the operative word), no one really needs.
Greed begins, I think, with the creation of artificial need. I need this or I need that because, well because everyone else has one. Where is the flaw in this statement? There are at least two. One is a falsehood. Everyone else does not actually have one. We may think so and advertisers will help us think this very thing but it is not true. The second flaw is one of logic. Just because everyone else has one does not mean that I need one. As an example, even if everyone did have a flat-screen television (and they don't) I still wouldn't need one. I need a roof over my head, clothes to wear, food to eat and meaningful work.
I am not here espousing aceticism, nor yet miserliness. I am merely suggesting that we be honest about distinguishing between what we need and what we want. They are very different things. And there is not necessarily sin in buying something just because we want it. There are things that are beautiful that are not needed which we may want or desire. The sin comes in when the willful desire leads us to ignore others and their needs in our race to acquire or when we live beyond our means in that same race.
St. Paul exhorted the Philippians with these words, "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever circumstance I am to be content." Contentment, willfully cultivating it rather than imagined need, and thankfulness, also cultivated, are the foils to greed. There is a third foil - generosity, another virtue which does not grow naturally.
There are great examples of people who swim against the current of greed. C.S. Lewis lived very frugally despite very significant income from his writings. He simply gave it all away. Rick Warren has followed in his footsteps.
One last comment. I offer these thoughts, and all of my thoughts on the seven deadly sins not as a victor, but as a sufferer. I am at least as avaricious (and lustful and wrathful) as my neighbor and need to repent deeply.
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