Greed is tricky.
An individual who generally thinks of themselves as not greedy can, by simply adding a favorable deposit, become almost instantly greedy.
Does this mean that the individual is inherently greedy? Or is greed something that is propagated by the addition and/or subtraction of financial gain/loss?
See – greed is tricky because at the very center of greed is the root of all things evil, that being selfishness. Selfishness is this desire to want, to need, to gain some type of control or power over some random area that is otherwise inconsequential. Greed is a controlling dynamic and always seeks for more control, no matter how dormant it may have been for any period of time.
So how do you have control over greed?
It’s simple, Greed is always controlled by a spirit of gratefulness and the humility to recognize that all is nothing. Sure, at first glance this statement may smirk of nihilism, but the truth of the matter is that all gain or loss is inconsequential in the grand scheme of life.
Gain everything or lose it all, the only thing we can truly have any power over is our choice to be grateful and content with what we have. Never longing for anything else nor coveting what others have. Simply put, being at peace with ourself and recognizing that God has put us in this station of life for a purpose. That recognition is what allows us to trust and have faith in Him and, satisfactorily, defeat greed.
