Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
Luke 12:15 (NIV)
Lord Jesus, this morning as I read this verse what first jumped into my mind is that I’m not greedy. I immediately thought about all the ways that I truly try to give to others. My mind told me, “He’s not talking about You.” Then I could hear You say to my spirit, “Is that the only kind of greed there is?” And then I sat here, convicted, realizing that there are areas in my life where I am greedy, holding certain aspects of my life tightly, closed fisted, not willing to share it. Or if I do, measuring it out very sparingly. Forgive me!
Master, I’m sorry for hoarding my time, guarding it and doling it out sparingly, always worrying about whether I have enough to do what I want to do with it. I have in my mind that I need to have my rest time, and I do. But if I take a step back and lay all of it out in a spreadsheet like I do my money, how much of it is actually spent in Kingdom work versus “me” work? And is the Kingdom work focused on me trying to keep up an image I have of myself or want people to think of me or is it ordained by You that it should be done? Greedy about satisfying me.
Lord, I wish that was only it. But it is not. There are so many other areas of my life that I am hoarding for myself. Areas like:
- My skills and talents, which I most often try to focus on being a source of income rather than always seeking how I can use them to advance Your Kingdom
- My home, which I view as a haven of rest away from the world rather than a gathering spot for Kingdom building
- My job, which I view as a source of income to sustain me rather than a harvest field for Kingdom gathering.
Lord Jesus, if I thought about it harder I know I could go on. I get the point. Seek You first and Your Kingdom. That’s the calling. That’s who I want to be. Open my eyes to this hidden aspect of my character and show me all the areas I need to surrender to You so that I can truly live life not to my comfort but to Your glory! Because therein lies my heart’s greatest desire: living a life that is pleasing to You. Move me more in that direction, please. Amen.