What Greed Does To You: Breaking Free from the Trap of More

The Hidden Nature of Greed

Greed doesn't always announce itself with flashy displays of wealth or obvious materialism. Sometimes, it hides behind 'good' reasons and anxious striving. Pastor Paul Miller reminds us that when we chase more instead of trusting God, we end up owned by what we were meant to steward.

The Hebrew word for greed is connected to having an 'evil eye'—a heart condition that sees scarcity where God sees abundance, that grasps for control where God calls for trust.

Three Ways Greed Transforms Us

1. Greed Reorders Your Priorities

The first thing greed does is cause us to reorder our priorities until what's meant to serve us starts to own us. Jesus warned about this in Matthew 6:19-21: 'Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven... Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.'

When greed takes hold, our possessions begin to possess us. The things we thought would bring freedom become chains. The security we sought in accumulation becomes anxiety about losing what we've gained.

2. Greed Clouds Your Vision

Second, greed clouds our vision until blessings feel like burdens and salvation looks like stuff. Proverbs 28:22 warns that 'a man with an evil eye hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.'

When our spiritual vision is clouded by greed, we lose sight of God's goodness in our current circumstances. We begin to see His blessings as insufficient and start believing that our salvation—our ultimate security and joy—can be found in material things.

3. Greed Makes False Promises

Finally, greed promises what only God can provide. It whispers that just a little more will bring the peace, security, and satisfaction we crave. But these are promises greed cannot keep. Only God can provide true security, lasting peace, and deep satisfaction.

As Jesus taught in Matthew 6:26, 'Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?'

The Biblical Antidote to Greed

The antidote to greed isn't guilt or shame—it's a God-first life that trusts His provision more than possessions. Matthew 6:33 gives us the key: 'Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.'

This doesn't mean we become passive or irresponsible with our resources. Rather, it means we:

• Trust God's timing and provision instead of anxiously striving for more
• Practice generosity as an antidote to the hoarding mentality of greed
• Find our identity in God's love rather than in our possessions or achievements
• Cultivate gratitude for what we already have

Living with a 'Good Eye'

Proverbs 22:9 speaks of someone with a 'good eye': 'He who has a good eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.' A good eye sees abundance where greed sees scarcity. It sees opportunities to bless others where greed sees threats to personal security.

When we live with a good eye, we become conduits of God's blessing rather than reservoirs trying to hoard His goodness.

The Freedom of Enough

True freedom comes not from having more, but from knowing we have enough in God. When we seek first His kingdom, we discover that He truly does provide everything we need. This doesn't mean we'll have everything we want, but we'll have everything necessary for the life He's called us to live.

The question isn't whether we'll face the temptation of greed—we all will. The question is whether we'll recognize it for what it is and choose the better way: a life of trust, generosity, and contentment in God's perfect provision.