PROVERBS 15
25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud
but maintains the widow’s boundaries.
26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
but gracious words are pure.
27 Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household,
but he who hates bribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
– Proverbs 15:25-28
PROVERBS 15 AFTERMATH OF GREED
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
The servant of the Lord is faithful to righteousness
But the wicked is devoted to fulfil his own covetousness
Whoever is greedy for dishonest gains brings trouble to himself
Even those in his household are affected by his selfishness
When there is greed in anyone’s heart, you will find dissatisfaction
This leads to more cravings, more hoarding and evil intentions.
Why do people become greedy? In an article from cowryrise.com, some causes were discussed. Among these are: discontent, lack, unmet emotional needs, envy, and insecurity. The bible tells us in 1 Timothy 6:10 that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. So, we can say that people resort to greed because their idol is money. They love it so much that they are willing to have it at any cost. The writer of Hebrew warns us in chapter 13:5 to keep our lives free from the love of money and be content with what we have. In Luke 12:15, he also cautions us to watch out and be on guard on all kinds of greed because life is not all about an abundance of possessions.
Solomon exposes the aftermath of greed in verse 27 where troubles beset the greedy and also affects his own household. In Ecclesiastes 5:10, he expounds on the discontent of the greedy people. In Proverbs 28:5, he mentions conflict as another result of greed. In James
5, he warns of the miseries that are coming against the rich and the greedy.
REFLECTION
- How is the “love of money” the root of greed and other evil?
