Matthew 6:19-21 may speak more powerfully and clearly to our age than any other of Jesus' teachings and commands. If there has been a time when GREED has become so mainstream that we not only cannot see anything wrong with it, but build our lives on it, this is it. Greed is NOT a Kingdom value. God does not treasure the things gained by GREED. God does not value the pain inflicted on those who are exploited so that others may have more, always more... God does not value the addiction of acquisitiveness, the disease of affluenza, the idolatry of making MORE (wealth, Mammon) god. God does not like the cost to our souls, how it takes over and owns us as human beings because we can never be satisfied with "enough", while destroying the lives of those around us.
"Self" is part of the problem, because when we always want more for our "selves", our "own" and those like us, it is exclusionary at best and destructive of others' lives at worst.
The New Testament era Prophet, James wrote that conflicts, wrangling, War and killing come from Greed (James 4:1-6), which comes out of a sense of entitlement in pride. We act as if we are entitled to take what we want because we can. This "I should because I can" mentality is the product of a people who have walked away from Jesus' teachings and commands in Agape, or who have never had a value for them. It is for this reason that James admonished the rich (5:1-6) and called for those who have been victimized by them to remain hopeful until the Lord comes (7-11). God says, "It ain't right. I will make it right in the end."
So, we are instead of value the things of Heaven, THAT part of Kingdom of God. We are to value AGAPE and Grace, Joy, Peace, Contentment, Community, Equity (all having ENOUGH) and live the fruit of the Spirit that is meant as a way of life for us in THIS part of God's Kingdom, here and now (Galatians 5:22-26), and not get caught up into the things that produce despair and destruction out of Greed (5:19-21) - the things that please self at the expense of others.
If we value relationships and our NEIGHBOR having what they need for well-being, we will not "lay up for ourselves" anything, but will share of our abundance so that we are not all like the Rich Fool or unnamed rich man who ignored Lazarus, but rather more like the Good Samaritan. When others are in need and I ignore, vilify or de-humanize them instead of share what I have, I fail to live the Agape that Jesus commanded.
"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." I wrestle with this regularly. It is with me all the time. It informs how I see the world around me and what is happening in it. It clarifies "why" things are the way they are for me. It shines light in the darkness of evil for me. If I hold something as treasure, I will give it my love. If I am giving my Agape to self alone or the things of self - Power over others, Wealth at the expense of others and Prestige above others - then I am turning self into my god and power, wealth and prestige into my unholy trinity to be devoted to, dedicated to and beholden to... I am not called to give my greatest, "unconditional, self-sacrificing, on behalf of the other" love to these things (I Timothy 6:3-19 - especially vs. 10), but to God and Neighbor. Jesus commanded it (see Part II).
Pastor Jamie
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