Affluenza, Part 2: The Deception of Greed

As we continue to learn from the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12, let's look at 3 specific points Jesus teaches us in this text about the deceptive work of greed:

Number one: Greed lies to us. And it tells us that what matters most in life is how much stuff we have. That is the essential lie of greed. Greed says that the quality of a person's life is measured in the size of their bank account and the quality and quantity of their possessions.

In verse 15 Jesus warns us not to fall prey to this mindset. He says: "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness. Watch out for it, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

In other words, watch out—don't believe the lie of greed. Don't buy into it, because if you do, you'll pass by what truly matters in life. And that's the second thing that greed does.

Number two: Greed blinds us. It blinds us to what is truly important in life; it blinds us to spiritual realities. And Jesus illustrates this by telling us a story of a rich man who has believed the lie of greed.

It's important to note that Jesus doesn't say that having money or being skilled at making money is wrong. Many godly men and women in the Bible, as well as in church history, have been wealthy, have been entrepreneurs, and have been skilled at making money. The issue is how we view and use the money that we have.

The rich man's problem is not that he's rich. His problem is that he's selfish—he hoards what he has, he uses it for his own pleasure, and he puts his trust in his wealth. Do you notice how everything the man thinks and does revolves around himself? He has the "I, I, I, my, my, my" syndrome.

Look at verse 17 again. He says: "What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?" And he said, "I will do this. I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods." He's totally blind to the needs of others. There's no mention of the poor. There's no mention of God and God's priorities, not even a mention of his own family or grandchildren. It's "I, I, I, my, my, my." That's what the lie of greed does. It blinds us to the needs of others.

We've all heard the saying that on their deathbed no one ever wishes that they spent more time at the office. And we always say, "Oh yes, that's true," and nod our heads. But how many of us work in a way that contradicts that truth because we want just a little more? I've never met an adult who looked back on his or her childhood and wished that his parents had spent more time away from him so that he could have had more toys or money; but I do meet adults who wish their parents had been around more.

We can see the lie of greed much more easily when it's functioning in someone else, can't we? Maybe you can see it clearly in your parents, or in a relative or friend. But do we see it in ourselves? And do we see the subtle ways that it can shape our life? How many of your or your family's decisions and actions are based on the lie of greed—that getting more stuff is going to make you happier, healthier, and a better person? All of us need to stop and ask the question: Where is greed blinding me? Am I passing up what is truly important for the sake of fleeting possessions?

In the next post, we'll look at the third aspect of greed's deception: that it ultimately destroys us.