Daily Devotional: Luke 12:15

Theme: I Want More. Am I Covetous?

Scripture: 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

Have you ever thought about whether you fell into the trap of covetousness or greed and what that actually looks like? Today, we live in a world where grinding, team “no sleep”, and constant hustle is the name of the game. Not leaving a “legacy” or inheritance for your child and their children in today’s society paints you as a sluggard who lacks ample ambition. Let alone, someone who isn’t wanting 5 cars, a mansion, and rooms filled with material things. We’re pressured to have a lavish lifestyle so that we can declare the “blessings of God”, grow our influence on social media, and be the small number of those who actually “make it”.

However, have you ever thought about what Luke 12:15 says about not making life out to be all about an abundance of possessions? Crazy, I know.

In Luke 12, most of the theme depicts Jesus reminding his disciples that He will return and we all will have to be judged on that day, the importance of being bold especially in persecution for His sake instead of cowering down, ensuring that we don’t ever fall into hypocrisy as we profess to be Christians and spread the gospel, as well as not being covetous.

An interesting end to the other points He makes, right? Why covetousness? Well, He makes it rather clear by speaking a parable below:

Having made this point, Jesus launched into the parable of the rich fool. The rich fool is a man with a prosperous farm, who’s just had a successful harvest and decides he will store it all and take things easy. In response, God says to the man, “you fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?” (Luke 12:20). Jesus ended the parable by saying that it is foolish to accumulate material wealth “but not have a rich relationship with God” (Luke 12:21).

So, you see why we shouldn’t have our focus be on accumulating wealth and building this “legacy” that is so trendy amongst successful people today. Instead, our focus should be on cultivating our relationship with God, being obedient, following His commands, bearing the fruits of the spirit, and taking His lead.

If wealth is a part of His plan for your life, then awesome! And if not, can you be OK with that? How we steward what He gives us is very different than seeking the things to steward.

According to scripture, covetousness is equivalent to idolatry—-which links between the 1st and 10th commandments about not stealing your neighbors possessions (whether it’s a house, spouse, or other possessions).

In Colossians 3:5, it mentions the reality that one who practices covetousness cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven by any means.

What does covetousness do anyway? It can certainly lead to resentment towards God and jealousy towards others based on our deep desire for things. In addition, it keeps our heart postured towards the world and “worldly possessions” rather than heavenly treasures and the notion of living holy + righteous before God.

REFLECTION:

The biggest thing that feeds covetousness is social media. How are you guarding your heart + mind while on social media on a daily basis? Do you find yourself scrolling endlessly because you desire to have some of the highlight reels + successes that social media offers in the forefront?

As we go through the rest of the week, let’s take note of how we use social media and the things we spend the most time consuming. Then take note of how we feel after scrolling and tying the way we spend (or feel throughout) the rest of our day based on our scrolling.

If you find yourself feeling covetous about ANYTHING—-whether it be wealth + financial stability, relationships + friendships, career advancements, spiritual gifts that are often celebrated, material things, or physical attributes that someone possesses—–just repent to God and pray for a renewing of your mind, contentment within your heart to what God has given you in this moment with complete gratitude, and wisdom to maneuver throughout places like social media so that you aren’t falling into the trap of wanting more in discontentment.

God knows the ultimate plans that He has for us and therefore, He makes no mistake in our journey. Trust His plan for your life and whatever that looks like. And know that it’s enough for who we are and what we’re called to do in the Earth individually.

God Bless.