In Mark 7:22 Jesus regarded greed or coveting as a deadly, defiling sin. For leaders, this vice is especially egregious. Overpowering others to get what they want, the greedy are never satisfied. Their voracious appetite for more leads to stealing what rightfully belongs to others. Covetousness also goes well beyond the desire for money and material things. It includes a desire for power, a lust for control and self-exaltation that ends up destroying the covetous one’s life as it wreaks havoc in the lives of others. Greed is not defined by how much one has; it is a condition of the heart. One can be poor and greedy and another wealthy and generous, or vice versa. A generous heart has others’ best interests in mind. Rather than settling for temporal happiness that comes from things and self-oriented pleasure, serving leaders experience joy by serving God through generosity and empowering others.

KEY QUESTIONS: How might I exhibit greed apart from the material realm? How does greed diminish who I am? When have I practiced generosity and observed how it broke the power of greed in my life? What act of sacrificial generosity could I practice today?