Learning to Live without Avarice
Sunday, July 10, 2011
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21
avarice
[av-er-is]
-noun
insatiable greed for riches; inordinate, miserly desire to gain and hoard wealth.
False Narrative: Things bring happiness . . .
Money or material possessions will make us feel secure, powerful, successful, and happy.
Many people don't buy things for sheer survival but because of the "promise" they bring to us.
This false narrative is fueled by fear - that we are not valuable without possessions or that we need to save all we can to protect our future.
Kingdom Narrative: God will provide for and protect me, and therefore I am free to seek His kingdom and invest the resources He gives me in His endeavors.
Earthly treasures decay. Heavenly treasures accrue eternal interest.
The freedom of simplicity leads to the joy of contentment.
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:6-10