G I V E R S    &    T A K E R S

W E E K    E I G H T   –   G R E E D Y    A N D
I N S E N S I T I V E    L I V I N G
By Jilian Brown

Monday
Luke 12:13-15

We have all heard children squabbling over who gets the biggest toy, better dessert, or most allowance. And yet, as adults, are we any better? Our jealousy of what others have (or what we perceive they have) can take precedence in our minds and hearts over gratitude for what we have been given by a gracious God. Worse yet, when all we focus on is what we have and can accumulate over time, we are not focusing on people. We miss the opportunity to love others when our focus is inward.

A man comes to Jesus demanding his “fair share” of his family’s inheritance. Jesus did not even give the man the satisfaction of hearing the details of his situation, but rather looked straight into his heart. Many were coming to Jesus for miracles of healing and to hear teaching from the Rabbi. This particular man only cared about getting his way with Jesus’ approval.

We ought to be careful with the demands we lay at the feet of the Lord. He is concerned with our heart, not the material possessions we have. When we ask, seek, and knock, it should always line up with the will of God and not our human desires (Matthew 7:7). For “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).