But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Matthew 6:3
“The covetous man is odious to the members of his household, severe to his domestics, useless to his friends, ungracious to strangers, troublesome to his neighbors, a sorry companion to his wife, a penurious rearer of children, a bad master of himself; at night full of anxiety, by day absorbed, talking to himself like one demented; abounding in wealth, yet groaning as though in need; not enjoying what he has, and yet seeking what he has not; not using his own, yet casting avaricious eyes upon the property of others.
Such a man has a great flock of sheep that fills the folds in which it is penned, and covers the plains on which it pastures. And if a single sheep belonging to his neighbor appear in good flesh, taking no notice of his own vast flock he lays greedy siege to that one sheep of his neighbor. The same is true in the case of his kine and of his horses; nor is it otherwise in the matter of his land. The house is crowded with everything, but nothing is made any use of.
For it is impossible for a greedy person to have any enjoyment, but his house is almost like a grave. For see, graves are often full of silver and gold, but no one uses the riches. The body is not sustained by them; the soul finds no satisfaction in them; for alms are not scattered by the right hand of the dead.”
Asterius of Amasea (350-410) in his sermon, “Against Coveteousness.”
Coveteousness destroys people. It causes us not to play our God-designed role in our homes and communities. When afflicted with it, we never have enough, and we constantly desire the possessions, long to experience the pleasures, and seek the power that others have.
And coveteousness also hinders generosity. Note the cryptic statement that ends today’s post from this powerful sermon from antiquity: “Alms are not scattered by the right hand of the dead.”
I am attending a memorial service tomorrow for my aunt and uncle. It has me thinking about what we must do during our lives. And almsgiving is on my mind as we are in the heart of the Lenten season, so this post is rightly timed.
In biblical times, the reason Jesus would say not to let your left hand know what your right hand is doing related to giving is because the left hand was associated with coveteousness and the right hand with generosity.
So Asterius is saying in plain terms that coveteousness will destroy you and me and our generosity. God, show us the areas of my life riddled with coveteousness and root it out in your mercy, we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.