Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Psalm 119:36
“There are many kindred Scriptures full of profit for us, into all of which I wished to go that I might show you the abundance of the spiritual feast. But I must fulfil the promise that I made yesterday. For after we had brought many accusations against covetousness, but had scarcely laid bare its vanity, we deferred until today the proof of the charges. Listen, therefore, and show yourselves wise judges of the truth; for your decision affects your own salvation, not that of others; and each of you casts his vote of condemnation against his own soul, as though driving it out of house or town.
Covetousness, then, is not simply being mad for money, and other possessions, wishing to add to what you have that to which you have no right, but, to speak more broadly, it is the desire to have in every transaction more than is due or belongs to you. And you know that the devil was the first to have this fault; for he was an archangel, and appointed to the most honorable life and station; but the arrogant creature conceived of absolute rule, and rebellion against God, and was thereafter cast down from heaven, and, falling into this atmosphere of earth, he became your malicious neighbor. So he did not attain the divinity to which he aspired, and he lost the rank which he had enjoyed of being archangel; an unfaithful servant, changed by gradually increasing audacity into a robber.”
Asterius of Amasea (350-410) in his sermon, “Against Coveteousness.”
As our team members travel back to Australia, Egypt, and USA, I will continue citing from this sermon. In short, Asterius reveals that coveteousness is desiring more than is due or more than belongs to you. It’s the sin of the devil and many after him. But what is our portion?
Throughout Scripture the provision of manna or daily bread comes into view. Perhaps the best way to address this issue is not to point fingers but to hold up a mirror. We must each ask ourselves whether or not we desire more that what is due and what that says about our hearts. Does coveteousness have a grip on you?
As I ponder this on my way home, along with all I have experienced in Malawi, it strikes me that at the core, selfishness is trusting myself to care for my needs rather than God. I can be controlled by a scarcity mindset and become a robber like the devil, or choose obedience and generosity which reply on God’s love and abundance.
We aim to break the power of coveteousness in Malawi through Palmful of Maize, inspired by Handful of Rice in India. If you want to read our trip report, please reply to this email. As this was a massive effort in which GTP invested much of our available resources, please click here make a gift to GTP today to support our ongoing work.