“Greed is good,” said the CEO sitting across from me. Then, leaning in closer, he continued, “What Enron did was wrong. But greed, in itself, is not bad.”
I had to chew on that a moment. And process it. I could understand what he was trying to say. I think. The “want” for things is not bad. The motivation that want brings to some folks, to get them going can be good. To achieve. To attain. It’s not a sin to want or to aspire. However, breaking the law? Hurting people in the process to get what you want? Not good. In my opinion that is. Not negotiable.
Apparently the Greek word for Greed means “a thirst for having more.” And if you think about it, those hot days when you are dying of thirst, once you quench it, that thirst will come again. Jesus talked about greed. He had this to say:
Luke 12:15 …“Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.”
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with people having things. Missionaries depend on the gifts of others to go into the field or to take those humanitarian trips. People who receive help from the government depend on other folks to pay the taxes that allow those gifts to continue. Hospitals, research teams and charities rely on folks that “have” in order to survive. We should want people to be successful.
But back to greed. Those who struggle with greed usually aren’t the ones giving. They’re more the takers in life if truth be told. It’s an interesting topic for discussion to be sure.
Just my thoughts. Yours?
S.
