Greed

Here's another entry to my one-word-project which is a take away from my reading of Cure for a Common Life by Max Lucado under Section One: Use Your Uniqueness, where an excerpt from another book, Money: A User's Manual by Bob Russell was quoted:

A farmer once grew discontent with his farm. He griped about the lake on his property always needing to be stocked and managed. The hills humped his roads, forcing him to drive up and down. And those fat cows lumbered through his pasture. All the fencing and feeding -- what a headache!

He then decided to sell the place and move somewhere nice. He called a real-estate agent and made plans to list the farm. A few days later the agent phoned, wanting approval for the advertisement she intended to place in a local paper. She read the ad to the farmer. It described as a lovely farm in an ideal location -- quiet and peaceful, contoured with rolling hills, carpeted with soft meadows, nourished by a fresh lake, and blessed with well-bred livestock. The farmer said, "Read that ad to me again."

After hearing it a second time, he said, "I've changed my mind. I'm not going to sell. I've been looking for a place like that all my life."

*****

"I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." --Philippians 4:11

Greed can disguise in assorted shapes and forms. We meet him face to face in our everyday struggle. Sometimes he even lurks us in our dreams. Greed for greener pastures. Greed for a more comfortable life. Greed for higher position. Greed for bigger house. Greed for better paying job. Greed for power. Greed for relationship.

Greed cover up many faces but speaks one language -- the language of more. Just a little more of this and just a little more of that then I'll be content. Until we get what we think we want and realize that 'just a little more' will no longer satisfy us. Honestly, how much 'little more' will be enough?

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.” ― Mahatma Gandhi