Luke 12:15. “And Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life DOES NOT consist in the abundance of the things one possesses.”
When asked to be an arbitrator in a financial dispute between two brothers Jesus seizes the opportunity to teach the importance of GETTING A GRIP ON GREED. Luke 12:15 starts with a double warning as He says, “Take heed and beware.” A double warning demands our full UNDIVIDED attention.
So, ARE YOU LISTENING? So, ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?
Having demanded we LISTEN Jesus says, “Take heed and beware of COVETOUSNESS.” His warning is to WATCH OUT for COVETING or GUARD against being GREEDY. As He tells this to His crowd they most likely recalled the Tenth Commandment of the Ten Commandments. To refresh your memory it states, “You shall not COVET your neighbor’s house; you shall not COVET your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor ANYTHING that is your neighbor’s.” Exodus 20:17
The tenth commandment is different from the other 9. It is the most personal and secretive. It is broken with an attitude. The attitude of coveting then will lead to various actions. Now, if I am coveting, you do not see it. If you are coveting, I do not see it. It is an inside sin. The sinful attitude comes as one is never satisfied with what one presently has, and one has a driving desire to get more and more so that they can be at least equal to if not better than their neighbor. There is never ENOUGH for them.
There is no CONTENTMENT with a COVETING person. The coveting person makes gold their god!
With the double WARNING of guarding against COVETING, Jesus now teaches a lesson that flies in the face of what we have been taught to think about money, things, and possessions. The WHY of why we should not covet (ARE YOU LISTENING) is, “Your life does not consist in the abundance of things you possess.”
YOUR LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THE THINGS YOU POSSESS!
With one sentence Jesus CONFRONTS and DEBUNKS the thinking that fuels COVETING. Your self-worth is not tied to your net worth! Your net worth does not determine your self-worth!
How do you now apply JESUS’ TEACHING from Luke 12:15 to your THINKING? For me, it was the quote, “THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE NOT THINGS” that helped me go against the world’s thinking. It has helped me to GET A GRIP ON GREED!
Are you GUARDING your heart against being GREEDY?
Are you CONTENT or does your heart COVET more and MORE and MORE?
How does the quote THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE NOT THINGS help you apply the teaching that Jesus has given?
Continue Strong content and be satisfied with Jesus!
And remember to DATE The Word