GREED

I'm doing a lot of soul searching and thinking lately. See, I've been asked to come up with a poem for church in a few weeks. They asked me to talk about Greed.

And there's my dilemma. How can I talk about something I'm guilty of? We're all guilty of it. But we don't put greed in the same category of sin as murder, adultery, etc. But it is.

The more I think about it, the more I realize we are conditioned to think and believe greed is good. Our whole economy is based on greed. Everyone has wants. The more we want, the more we spend, and the more we get. The more we spend, the better the economy does. The better the economy does, the more money we can make. Make more money, and we can buy more things.

But it's all Me, Me, Me. Mine, Mine, Mine. More, More, More.

At the same time we don't want to be passive. We want to aspire. We want to reach higher, and we should.

When does it become greed?

I think it's when we want more than we need. It's seems like the more we get, the more we want. When does it stop?

When you mention greed, people automatically think you're going to talk about money. But we can be greedy for anything. Power. Money. Food. Fame. Recognition.

When the desire becomes an obsession, it's greed. When it become our focus, it's greed. When obtaining it drives us, it's greed. It becomes our god.

What's the first commandment say? We should have no other God's before God.

Which brings me back to my dilemma, and my solution.

I was worried about offending people. Powerful people. Wealthy people. How can I get up there and say money and power are sinful.

I have to go the Word and speak the truth in love. The LOVE of money is the root of evil. Thou shalt have no other God's before me. Thou shalt not covet.

And that's what I'll say.