DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY 15 NOVEMBER 2022: INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE AND PRAYER
Read Daily Devotional For Today 15 November 2022
Topic: Greed is Treacherous
Scripture: Habakkuk 2: 5-6
We are approaching the end of the liturgical year and will be reflecting on quite a few passages that are warnings to clean up our act in preparation for the second coming. This passage from Habakkuk is a complaint about those who are unjust and a desire for them to be punished. If we think about it, we probably complain to God about the same thing.
Maybe we don’t complain about countries as much as about individuals, but we complain. We like the phrase, “What goes around, comes around!” But sometimes we get impatient for it to “come around!” There’s a very good reason why greed is one of the seven deadly sins. Greed can lead to many other problems.
The greedy person may turn to theft to satisfy their need, whether it’s shoplifting or embezzlement, the end result is the same. It can also lead to extortion as mentioned in the passage. Greedy landlords who refuse to spend money to bring their property up to code.
Business owners who would rather pay their employees under the table at reduced wages to save money on both the wages and the benefits. Others who gobble up small businesses and fire the employees are often the same people who claim that we pay too much in unemployment benefits! Why is it that those who earn the most complain the most about paying taxes?
As I said, we also wonder when the greedy will be punished for their sins. We need to take a good look at ourselves as well. Is there a bit of the same greed in us? Have you ever looked at the piece of pie served to you and your neighbor and thought that yours was smaller??? As we count down these last few weeks, let’s reexamine ourselves so that we can root out our faults.
Prayer
Loving and forgiving God, you want all your people to be happy. Help us to understand that it is you that fulfills us and brings us more happiness than all the things of the world. Amen.