Hello everyone and welcome to this week's episode
of Trinity Talks. My name is Kyla. I'm Jordana.
My name is Bill. And I'm Johanna. And we are
here to continue our conversation about sin,
but very specifically today we are talking about
greed. And sometimes we don't think about greed,
like it's become so normalized, I think. Yeah,
it's one of those things that, yeah, we just
don't, we don't think about greed as something
that's you know a terrible thing right because
it's we all need stuff so we just we just keep
accumulating stuff yeah yeah i think what uh
of all the seven deadly sins greed might be the
one you don't see coming yeah yeah i think we
that's uh that's that's that makes it even more
difficult to to identify yeah and i think that
you don't see it coming when you consider yourself
middle class, right? We think of like the billionaires
of the world and go, why do they need even more
and more? Why do they act the way they do? And
so it's always somebody else who's greedy. So
it's not, I feel like we have a culture in which
we can recognize greed in everybody, in other
people, a particular kinds of people. It's the
ways in which we are implicated that's so hard
to disentangle. And as Rob said in the sermon,
it's naturalized in us, in our culture. So we
don't see it, we just think it's normal and we
think it's just part of what we're supposed to
do and what's acceptable in our culture and in
our community. Yeah, so that being said, if it's
sort of normalized, I think it would be helpful
for us to sort of have a definition of what is
this thing that we're talking about. So yeah,
what is greed? What does it look like? How do
we know it when we see it? Johanna, what do you
think? I feel like greed is probably when you
already have enough of something, but you still
have that like really deep want for more of it.
Okay, yeah. Yeah, so it's not just, it's like
we have the stuff, but we want more stuff. Yeah.
Yeah. Like it's never enough. Like you're just
constantly chasing after it. Yeah. Yeah. Hamster
on a wheel. What she said. That's exactly what
I was going to say. I agree. Greed is never enough.
Yeah. I think it's, Gianna's just got the heart
of it. It's that desire, right? It's, it's, it's,
it's not just the stuff itself. It's actually
that constant... unfulfilled desire that tries
you get try to fulfill through either the things
or the money or the things that money can buy.
Right. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think again, when
I kind of reflecting on greed, it's just good.
I went all the way back to kindergarten. It's
like, what's the, you know, all the things I
need to know I learned in kindergarten, you know,
that thing. Right. I think greed was one of the
things that was covered. It's, you know, it's
pretty basic that way. And I, you know, I just,
I thought of, you know, the kid in kindergarten
who's like grabbing up all the toys and wanting
to play all the toys with all the toys himself.
And, uh, and I'm pretty sure I was probably that
kid in kindergarten. And, uh, and I just, kind
of just remember, you know, that the teacher,
you know, saying, okay, Billy, you know, you
can't play with all the toys yourself. Don't
be greedy. Right. Right. Just, you know, share
the toys so everyone can play together. Right.
Play nice. And yeah, I think that's kind of so
great for me. It seems like it was, you know,
covered covered early on. So, I mean, it's so
in a way that it's it's addressed and we and
we learn how to and we've from a very early age,
we've learned how to not be greedy and how to
share. I think it's still insidious in our culture
because of it being accepted and normalized.
And we have different definitions for that kind
of grasping and grabbing as adults, right? Like
we want to be secure. We want to be, you know,
I mean, that's crute. from C .S. Lewis quote
about, we call it planning. We call it security.
It's not just the wanting of stuff. It's the
feelings we give up that we invest in these things
to give us. I think that so much goes to the
heart of greed. What are we asking money to do
for us? And then you get a sense of what you're
trusting money to do for you and where you're
placing your trust. And I think when we talk
about greed, you need to understand that it's
a feeling first. and then an action after, right?
So that desire Jordan you're talking about that,
you know, that's the feeling that creates. the
motivation to act greedily, right? Sure, sure.
And grabbing. The word grabbing just came up
as I was thinking through greed because you're
just grabbing up everything. But it comes from
that desire first to have more and that there's
never enough. And then you just kind of spend
your time and you're so focused on just taking
as much as you can for yourself. Yeah. Yeah,
I think you're right that it does, the feeling
precedes the action, but I think sometimes we
don't recognize the feeling, and we don't stop
to name the feeling. It is, yeah, like you said,
we call it security, we call it planning, we
think of it as, especially, the thing that comes
to mind for me is this scarcity mindset that
we often have, which is like, I need to have
enough. There is not enough in the world for
everyone. And so I need to make sure that like
I have enough for me because there cannot possibly
like if I let go of this, then there cannot possibly
be enough. Right. Yeah. I mean, the thing about
the scarcity mindset is, as we can see from our
environmental crisis, there are resources that
are not enough for everyone's greed, you know,
and so I'm not sure whether just shifting a mindset
from scarcity to there's plenty and we can all
have all we want is necessarily going to solve
that issue. Sure. Right. And so, you know, to
recognize, I think this is where honestly, it's
God that comes in, right? Like at the heart of
this, it's, you know, what are the feelings and
what kind of meaning are we investing in this
stuff, right? If we want it so much, those feelings
can sometimes point to legitimate things. Like
we do want to have food, you know, and as a mom,
I would like my kids to be able to go to college.
And in that sense, that means putting aside some
money for the future and not just saying, oh,
this is all I need for today or this week. Right.
And so that's where I find the the tension between
planning and greed, like I'm constantly walking
those, you know, what is enough, not just for
now, but for planning for the future and what
is too much or what is, you know, how afraid
I am that I want to put so much away. And so
that's where I find it really difficult to sometimes,
you know, recognize what is necessary, because
even for the future, you don't need huge amounts.
Right. Right. And at the same time, there's so
much answer. that you want the certainty to be
in those, you know, those funds that are there,
for example. So, yeah. Yeah, and I mean, I think
we need to be careful as we're talking about
all this and future planning, right? Like, we're
not, I'm not saying, and I think you're not saying...
We're not saying don't plan. Right, yes, we're
not saying don't plan. We're not saying don't
have savings, you know, that sort of thing. But
it's, yeah, it's that really fine line between
like, what is enough and what is... So enough
is a really kind of important word in my thinking
when talking about greed, because I think we
need to figure out for ourselves what is enough,
right? In order to kind of get a grip or an understanding
of greed in our own life, we need to understand
for ourselves or for our family what is enough.
And once we can identify what enough is, then
we have a goal to reach for that we can plan
for and we can work towards so that we have enough.
And then we also can use that as a guide. So
if we're going past that, then we can identify
that as, okay, now I'm being greedy. I've gone
past what I need for my family and I'm getting
more and more and more and that's too much. So
I think we need to figure out what is enough.
And I think the problem with with greed or when
greed has a hold on people's lives It's the attitude
is like you said, there's never enough Yeah,
right And then that's the mentality and if your
mentality is never enough then you don't have
that goal of what is enough you don't have that
guideline of what is what then is too much and
Then and then the other kind of coming out on
the other side of it is the the attitude of of
saying I have enough Right just recognizing when
you've got to that point and just being content
and grateful and thankful for what you have.
And I think that is when you're kind of turning
the corner on greed in terms of our own attitude
and mindset is the contentment of knowing you've
done the planning, you've done the hard work,
you've saved the money and you're in that guide
that you've set yourself and you can say, You
know, I have enough. I'm content. And you don't
have to, and you can, you don't have to be, the
hold on greed doesn't have to be in your life.
Sure. So you were talking about, you know, trying
to figure out what is enough for you. So what
does that look like practically? Is that like
budgeting? Is that like setting a goal for yourself?
Like what? Now, you're getting into money. I
would really pull in my wife at this point. I'm
pretty sure the answer is budget. That's beyond
my pay grade. Having a plan and keeping to a
budget. Rob talked about some of the ... practical
stuff around money and having a proper place
in your life. A lot of that is just doing that
kind of assessment. What am I spending now? Identifying
what's necessary, what's needed, what's not,
and what's extra. Just being able to adjust your
budget, your spending accordingly. And that you
can find that, you know, kind of contentment
groove. Sure, sure. Yeah. So I'm wondering, we
have spent a lot of time talking about money
and material possessions. How do we know in ourselves,
like what are some sort of signs that we have
a healthy relationship with money or that we
are maybe sort of have an unhealthy relationship?
Maybe that's greed, maybe that's something else,
but like for yourselves, how do you know? I think
I think yeah, sorry. Go ahead. No, I was just
gonna say the The challenge for me. Yeah Is to
recognize that the money's not mine. Ah, yeah,
you know what I mean? Like it's not just about
enough It's the fact that so often you feel like
it's yours because you earned it Yeah, right.
It's this notion of mine. This is mine to do
as I want and to fulfill my needs as I want,
as opposed to this is a gift given. And so it's
so easy to forget that, right? Because we do
work and we do work hard to earn a paycheck and
to have enough for families, for our family,
et cetera. And so that notion that it's all grace,
it's all a gift, I think that's the challenge
for me. It begins lower than, below and more
deeply than me assessing what is enough for my
money. It's actually, where do I put my trust
and whose is this really? And then I can say,
okay, God's given me this for my needs and He's
given me more, right, and what? As well, and
so. Yeah, I just find that that space where the
struggle lies is in remembering who's this thing.
Right. Yeah. Rather than, yeah. Yeah. It goes
back to that verse that Rob mentioned in the
sermon. The earth is the Lord's and everything
in it. Everything that we claim and hold as ours
is really, we're stewards of it rather than owners
of it. We don't own it. We loan it. Or it's loaned
to us. Yeah, I think for me, when I think about
my own relationship with money, so I grew up
in a family, there's four kids, so there's six
of us living on a pastor's salary and my mom
wasn't working. And there was never a moment
where I really felt like, oh, we didn't have
enough money, like my parents did a really good
job taking care of us. But there was a sort of
general sense of like, we're not being extravagant
with our money. And that is something that still
eats at the back of my brain. In any moment,
I'm like, oh, do I have enough money to do this
thing? And if I look at my bank account, yes,
I am fine. But those moments where I find myself
being stingy in ways that I don't need to be
is a reminder for me that my relationship with
money isn't something that like I need to like
be as cognizant about like yes be responsible
but like don't let it be the controlling factor
of like you know am I gonna go out for dinner
or do I have enough money to like tithe this
month or like whatever it is right yeah you know
sorry I'm talking a lot um your um story reminds
me of this really amazing little story told by
this writer called Wendy Wazirstein. And she
talks about how the monks, you know, they've
taken their vows of poverty and greed comes to
tempt them and she tempts them with all these
extra things and they easily dismiss her. Yeah.
Right. And so she goes away, puts on the garb
of thrift and comes back. Yeah. And they go for
it. Yeah. And so why? Because it's good to save,
right? It's good to be thrifty. It's good to
stay on a little. But the underlying the underlying
heart condition that exposed was the trust in
material things as opposed to God's generosity
to meet your needs. And so it was this focus
on the material to meet your security needs.
And that's how... you know, they weren't necessarily
tempted by lots of stuff. They were actually
tempted by being thrifty and stingy and holding
on to what they had. See, that feels very true
to me. And I think that can be that too, you
know, that sense that, oh, I'm living in the
simple way, but I'm not giving a lot, like I'm
not releasing. And I think the antidote to greed
is not either thrift or extravagance, sorry,
but sort of... that space of letting go of your
hold on the material as the place where you find
that meaning. So that's I think where... where
it's hard to walk that line. So you were saying
earlier that being in the middle class, we kind
of give ourselves a bye, or at least we could
potentially be doing that. But I want to kind
of highlight that greed is not just the domain
of the rich, but also the middle class and also
the poor. And that sense of scarcity mentality
can be, everyone can have that sense, right?
So I was thinking back to a time when I was in
a meal, a dinner program for homeless in downtown
Toronto. And a guy came in, he went straight
to the front of the line, he grabbed up as much
food as he could put on his plate, and more so,
and then he started putting stuff in his pocket.
He didn't care about anybody else or if there
was enough, or he was just grabbing up all that
he can for himself. And he went and sat down
and he ate, and then everyone else got food.
And there was another homeless person at this
sheltered dinner. And she got her plate and sat
down. And shortly after that, someone came in
late. And unfortunately, there was no food left.
So that person didn't have any. And so the woman
who had taken her share and what was enough,
like earlier we were talking about, I have enough.
She took what was enough for her. And when she
saw that the guy didn't have came in and there
was no food left, she motioned him over and she
shared with him what was enough for her. But
it also worked for the two of them. Right. Right.
And so, you know, whether you're rich, whether
you're middle class, whether you're poor, whether
you're in poverty and homeless, that sense of
scarcity mentality can affect us and we can just
we can be greedy. And we can be poor and greedy,
right? And just grab everything up just for ourselves,
don't care about anybody else. But we can also
be like that woman who knew what enough was,
took enough for her. But then when an opportunity
to share and be generous came up, she took that
opportunity and she shared with what she had
so that together both of them were able to eat.
And I think that is the, you talked about the
antithesis of greed is generosity. And I think
just as we mentioned earlier that, you know,
greed is a feeling first and an action after.
I think generosity is the same way. Generosity
is a feeling first. It's an attitude. It's a
character within us. But it must have an action.
And that action is sharing what we have. And
you get to the point where, or hopefully, you
get to the point where you say, I have more than
enough, right? And then out of my abundance,
you're more than seven articles of clothing from
the service, the example that was given. We can
share with what we have, whether that's food
or whether that's money or our time, and give
to those who have less. The practice of generosity
is a character that is built through discipline,
and as we mature as followers of Christ, and
it's lived out in our lives through being there,
being present, and making a difference in the
lives of people who have less in our community.
Yeah. What do you think, Johanna? What has greed
sort of looked like, or when you think about
that? Yeah, now you're supposed to do your laugh.
What? I can't control that. I mean, just thinking
about like scarcity mindset made me think about
I was listening to this other podcast and they
were saying in the podcast of like living by
an abundance mindset is better than a scarcity
mindset. And the whole logic behind that was.
What was it? Oh, it was like when you're when
you're in a scarcity mindset, you perceive a
lack of something, whether it's money or food
or whatever resource. And so because your brain
has that, like, oh, my gosh, there's a lack like
you're thinking that then you're going to just
think about it more and more that I'm lacking
this thing. And like, it's just going to be like
a. fixated thought that you have versus when
you live in an abundance mindset then it's like
there's enough of everything to go around and
so I don't need to covet more than what comes
to me and whatever comes to me comes to me and
whatever does it doesn't right and it's just
more of like a like a laissez faire kind of passive
approach that uh to combat and greed I guess
of just relaxing, just chilling with it. And
I had this other quote that I read somewhere.
It was like, worrying about something is almost
like worshiping something. So just like, with
things like resources, it's really easy to worry
about, how am I going to be able to afford this
or whatever else? Because those are legitimate
fears to have. I don't know, it can be kind of
comforting to know that money comes and goes
and all those things. It's also kind of easier,
I guess, though, where I'm at in life, because
that's very much true. I don't have any dependents
or whatever, so I can just kind of relax. But
it probably would be harder for someone like
you, I guess, with your four? Two. Two. Oh, you
were the one with four siblings and tickets.
Right. My bad. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think the
thing about the abundance mindset, I think you're
right that it is, it puts us into a better frame
of mind. But the quote, the little catchphrase
thing that comes to mind for me is like, there's
enough for everyone's need, but not enough for
everyone's greed. Right. Right. It's like there
is enough. Like if we were to like actually steward
all of our resources well and like care deeply
and justly for one another, we would be fine.
But if the standard for enough is like the Elon
Musk's of the world, then no, there is not enough.
Yeah. Right. But it's yeah. So it's all about
sort of what about what that abundance means
and like where we draw that line for ourselves,
I guess. Yeah. That's a great communal mindset
to have. Globally, it would be amazing to have
that communal mindset. In terms of food, the
World Health Organization says there is enough
food for the population. The problem is, it breaks
down very quickly as soon as one person takes
more. Then another person sees that person take
more, and then they take more. But except on
a global scale, it's nations. One nation is grabbing
up. way more resources than other, and then they're
like, oh, well now we have to grab up and it
just kind of breaks down. Also the waste component,
people wasting a lot of resources because they
buy so many groceries and then the groceries
are sitting in their fridge and they go bad and
they toss them out when that could have been
eaten perchance. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Or like the
groceries that never even leave the grocery store.
Yeah, that's it. Go bad there. Yeah. Right. Like,
yeah. Yeah, there is. There is a lot of waste.
Yeah. A big connection there between greed and
waste, I think, because we. Yeah, if we think
we need so much and then we have more than we
actually know what to do with. Well, it's almost
even a pride issue at that point, this point
or one of the other Deadly Sins. Because you
can actually say, we have so much, we can waste
so much food and we still have enough, right?
Aren't we amazing that we've got this set up
that we can do that, right? And today, you've
also got entire industries based on that, right?
Planned obsolescence of computers like this.
You know, that many years you have to buy a new
computer. I mean, fashion and trends and everything
from interior decorating to what we wear is just
so based on that kind of waste, constant waste.
And so, I don't know, it just feels like entire
industries are structured to to sort of make
us on the one hand feel greedy and on the other
hand not price things as they should be. I think
one of the things about greed is that because
you focus on the material to such an extent,
you can also sort of not adequately value the
things you have. Like it's worth valuing things
for what they are. They're good gifts from God,
right? Like so value it the way it should be
and not too much, but also not too little, not
just throw away at hell times. And so those are
some of the sort of tensions, I think, of living
through this particular sin. Yeah, yeah, for
sure. So, we've talked a little about greed in
terms of money and material things. Does greed
show up in other ways in our lives? Like, can
we be greedy for... I guess we talk about greedy
for or lust for maybe power. For example, like
is that a kind of greed? Well, my kindergarten
example was with toys. Yes. So you're greedy
with your toys. With your toys, yes. And that's
where it all starts. I think greed for status
maybe. Stuff like that. Greed to keep up with
trends. Those are status markers, right? It's
not just money and material possessions. It's
what can't. what can money buy? I think we want
those vacations every year, for example. Not
just a vacation that goes close by, a vacation
that goes across the world, to Bali, to Tuscany,
I don't know. I'm telling you where I fantasize
about, of course. I mean, that's, I think, when
we talk about greed, we're talking so much about
what do we want to buy us, the values that we
have, the experiences we want to value, and then
that we keep wanting more money to fuel. I think
you can be greedy for influence as well. Could
you be greedy for time? Yes, this is my time.
So expand on that. What would that look like?
Well, just what I thought of was I have this
one friend and Wanted to play roblox with them,
but they don't want to play roblox with me because
they were busy with someone else And so I had
no one to play roblox with me even though we
played roblox like a couple times this week And
it's like I'm low -key being a little greedy
for time on roblox with my friend, right? I'm
like greedy for their attention Yeah, like yeah,
it's fun playing with them. Yeah. Yeah, and and
like I don't so I would be careful In calling
that greed because I think There could be a sense
in which you know if that becomes like a dominant
personality trait for you that maybe that's greedy
but like I don't know. I feel like it's fine
to be like, oh, I wish I really could have played
with my friend. It's like what we then do with
that feeling. It actually crushed me, broke me.
Like really? Really? No, no, okay. If you were
demanding more time from your friends and that
was taking time away from them to be with their
family or with other friends, right? Then that's
greed in the same way that you're taking more
money and other people as a result have less,
right? Or you take more food because you're hungry
and you're greedy around food and then other
people have less food, right? So if you're greedy
with time. I like that. I like that. It's just
saying, you know, I'm taking, I'm taking, it's
not just greeting of your own time, but it's
like, I'm taking other people's time and keeping
it for myself. And then those people have less
time with other people, their loved ones. I didn't
know Roblox could be so destructive. Insidious.
Yeah, it's like some great Eva. Yeah. So, You
said something about being greedy for influence
or status. What does that look like? Wanting
everyone to know that you are all powerful, I
guess. Wanting admiration, right? We want people
to look up to you, to recognize you. Yeah, yeah,
I think it's yeah greedy for recognition That's
like that that's where the influence gets you
It's hard because everyone kind of wants to be
recognized I think like whether it's like at
work or like with your friends or like if you
want to be down in the history books I don't
know like everyone kind of wants to leave a mark.
I think mm -hmm So it's like hard to not be greedy
for it. I think Yeah. So recognition on its own,
I think it depends on what you want to be recognized
for and who you want to be recognized by. I mean,
to the extent that if you want to bring this
back to Jesus, like Jesus died for, if you want
to, you know, each one of us. The ultimate recognition
is sacrifice for us. To what extent do we lean
into that love and know that it is unshakable?
Right. Right. There is first that, that He sees
you. and he loves you, right? To lean into that
can let you sort of let go of some of the more
unhealthy ways in which you can crave recognition
or admiration from other people, right? And then
you can lean into the fact that your family loves
you and you are important. And so there are so
many ways in which we can say recognition because
we... we have a dignity that we are given both
by God, by our family members, and we can lean
into that and let go of some of the more ephemeral
ways in which we might seek recognition, for
example. And so that's sort of where I'd say
recognition matters for our dignity. But where
we seek that recognition from and how we lean
into it can either be destructive or can be really
healthy, right? Yeah, I mean, I think there's
nothing wrong with seeking some kind of recognition,
right? Like, yeah, like you said, it's love that
comes from Christ or that comes from family or
friends. That is a kind of recognition and it's
okay to want that, I think. It's greed, all of
the sins, but greed is so hard because it is
that... fine line that happens in your head right
between like this is okay to want and like I'm
you go from this is okay to like I'm gonna strive
and do everything that I can to like get this
thing right I feel like that's where it becomes
yeah a kind of greed yep yeah I would agree yeah
so we've spent a lot of time now talking about
some of the problems of greed some of the ways
that it shows up in our lives What are some antidotes
to greed? How can we move forward in healthy,
sort of hopeful ways? Abundance mindset. Okay,
yeah? Yeah, just have it. Just have an abundance
mindset. Yeah, it's not that easy, I guess. And
it definitely would take adjusting to and just
thinking of like, I don't know, just really decenter
things from life. And it's like, there's so much
more than wanting. I don't know. Yeah, it's not
easy though, so I still want things, but I don't
know. I feel like it's helped with greed. Yeah,
for sure. Just to be able to like shift your
thoughts and say like, no, there is enough. Yeah.
Let's be chill. I'm fine. I have 11 pairs of
these at home. It's fine. I don't need to buy
another. So that's your enough? 11 pairs? 11
is a pretty good number. Yeah, you have one pair
every day and that's them. Other practices? Other
sort of ways? I was going to say ask where your
material things come from and what are they for.
Okay. Right. And so that you are remembering
that they're coming from God. Right. Yep. And
what are they for? Yeah. Right. And to that extent,
I'm hoping for me, and this is very personal
here, that I'm sort of able to open my hands
from this clutching it tightly thing that I've
got going and say, okay, this is not... I might
have worked for it, yes, but that itself, that
work is a gift. The ability to do that is a gift.
It's come as a gift. So what is it for? Yes,
it's for me to eat and to take care of my family
and so much more in terms of sharing. So you
said, you know, talking about where things have
come from and ultimately from God. Yes. But the
first thing that came to mind for me is like,
where did this thing, this shirt, this car, this
phone, where did it actually come from? Right.
Right. Like what were the component parts into
making this and getting it from wherever it was
to me? Right. And I think thinking about that
process is also really helpful. Yes. Right. Because
it reminds me, OK, there is physical impact in
the world. There's humans behind this product.
There's humans behind this product. There's like
nature and like natural resources that went into
giving me this product. And often the greed machine
has that there's negative parts to that process.
It's out of sight and so we never want to think
about it, right? Yeah, but if we can stop to
think about it, again it's not you know, the
silver bullet solution, but it is something that
I think helps me remember, okay, why do I need
two of this if the impact is so large? Yeah,
I know that's good as part of having a global
understanding on the impact of greed, you know,
in corporations and government and, you know,
and that trickling down to our purchasing patterns.
Yeah, that's helpful for me. And maybe affecting
that. Yeah, go ahead. I was just gonna say that's
helped for me too of like thinking about the
background specifically for fashion because it's
really easy to see a bunch of videos of someone
wearing something that looks really cool and
like it's everyone's wearing them so it's a bunch
of videos like a lot and you want it too but
you can't have it because it's like I already
have something similar or I'm not gonna wear
it enough times to really justify making the
purchase even from a financial standpoint. And
then there's like that human aspect of like,
is this even worth it? Like the underpaid children,
like I don't want to be, I don't really want
to have pieces like that in my wardrobe just
to sit there. So yeah, it makes me feel bad.
And then I just don't buy the clothes. Yeah.
Yeah. That's a good perspective. I think so spiritually
and in terms of our faith journey. I think like
so many of the seven deadly sins we've talked
about already and maybe a few more that we're
going to talk about, I think the ultimate answer
for us is Jesus. And if we put our focus on Jesus
and that is where our energy is, that is where
our heart is, then greed does not have the same
kind of an effect on us and in our lives. I don't
say that to make it sound like it's easy or supposed
to be easy because it's not. It is a discipline.
It is something that hopefully you get better
at over time if you're being intentional about
it. But as a follower of Christ, we have that
resource available to us where we can seek. You
know Jesus in as that primary in our in our life
and so we're not You know the so money can have
its place and and the other kind of resources
that we that we need can have that place and
I think that it also is the source of the contentment
which I think is is so crucial to To kind of
cutting the legs of greed because if we can if
we could learn to be content with what we have
then then greed loses its hold on us yeah yeah
for sure for sure um something else i thought
of was just remembering how many things that
are commonplace and like normal in our lives
are actually kind of luxuries i guess yes like
with the fashion example i'm just gonna build
off of that i guess it's like you know looking
cute that's not something that people could do
a few couple years ago. Like you would have to
be an aristocrat to wear the color purple or
whatever. So just to, I guess prioritize your
wants over people's wellbeing and stuff. So you
want to look cute, so you buy the thing and you're
just not gonna think about. the exploitation
that's happening because you want the thing so
badly that it's not even going to be a staple
of your wardrobe in a few weeks. But yeah, just
remembering that a lot of the things that we
want and like are within reach for us, that's
why we want them, I guess. Then like, they're
not commonplace really. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Putting yourself in like the grand scheme of
the current globe, but also like the history
of humanity right it's like yes i could get this
thing but people survive lots of years without
it now a lot is that true of everything that
you know we shouldn't want those things just
because people got by without it right yeah no
not necessarily but i think that it yeah it's
again a helpful question to stop and ask yourself
um that interrupts our consumerist sort of mindset,
for sure. Kind of makes me hope that Natalie,
my wife, doesn't see this podcast because if
she does, then she's going to challenge me on
the number of t -shirts I have. I have a lot
of t -shirts. You can just say you won't buy
any more for two years. I think I've already
made that promise. Good. Thank you so much, folks.
This has been really helpful to talk through
what does greed look like in our world and what
are some of the ways that we can hopefully move
forward from it. Thank you for tuning in and
listening along with us. Feel free to share a
comment or share this with some other folks.
We'd love to hear from you about some of your
struggles with greed and some of the helpful
things that you have found to move forward from
it. We'll see you again next week.