Happy New Year to all of you!  Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi gave a speech at the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce at the end of 2007, in which she revealed her salary and retirement plans to the public.  She said her annual income was RMB 120,000.  She would not need any other position after her retirement.  She also mentioned that government officials should take no more than they are due and no more than they should.  Public servants should create wealth for their country, instead of thinking of their own benefit.  This summary reminded the audiences of corruption problems in the government.  What God cares about is people, not politics.  Therefore, the Bible seldom mentions corrupt government officials.  However, there are many lessons regarding individual’s greed.  The Bible tells us that those who are greedy will not only bring about misfortune in their present life, but they also will suffer consequences after their death.  Let’s take a look at some of His teachings about covetousness.

God encourages us not to be greedy. He said,” Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” God pointed out two problems that came with earthly treasures.  Firstly, the destruction of moth and rust reveals that the value of treasures on earth is changeable, temporary and someday will vanish.   Rising prices, falling stock markets, depreciating currency, and failing economics will all shrink our wealth.  Or sometimes, our treasures may disappear in an instant with the sickness or unexpected accident of one of our family members.  God said that if we only focus on earthly vain wealth, however, our wealth will grow wings and fly away. It is ignorant of us to be greedy and lay up treasures on the earth.  Our covetousness makes our life miserable because we place our hope on unpredictable treasures.

God said, “Do not lay for yourselves treasures on earth because there are thieves on the earth.” It tells us of a second problem caused by earthly wealth.  It is the wealth that can ruin our peaceful life and easily causes people to do foolish things, such as stealing, cheating, robbing, and creating family strife.  Therefore, God said that those who are greedy will fall into their own net and perish.  The worst thing is that the rich even have trouble sleeping and have no appetite because of earning more money.  At last, the rich will watch others who have never worked enjoy their large inheritance.  No wonder God reminds us that our greedy desire will make our lives empty and meaningless.  Earthly wealth creates unrest and our greedy desires harm our families.  No treasure can compare with a poor happy man!

The third problem is that we might be corrupted by money.  God said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  The eye is the lamp of the body.   So, if the eye is healthy.  The whole body will be full of light.  However, if the eye is bad; the whole body will be full of darkness.  How great the darkness will be if the light in someone is dark! God said money is the root of all evils.   Treasures tempt human beings and drive them to go astray.  Those who go astray look down upon righteousness and tend to fight against the law and disobey it.  Meanwhile, they harm others and their own family, and even hate people.   No wonder God said it is harmful to worship treasures.  After the greedy turn away from the truth, they are filled with darkness and sorrows penetrating to their hearts.

Do God’s teachings above make sense?  The problems we just mentioned are only in this present life.  God said those who worship treasure will face more frightful consequences after their death.  If he or she is greedy when they are alive, they will not pay attention to an eternal blessing God gives to us at all, but spend all their time on earthly treasures with all their hearts.  Do you still remember God’s words?  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Our desires determine our lives.  If we’ve never made any investment in heaven, how will we be rewarded by entering into heaven in the future?  Hence, we’d better watch our desires or hearts and turn away from covetous hearts, enabling us to cherish things what God wants us to love, such as eternal life and His heavenly kingdom.  What is the meaning of winning the whole world if we have sacrificed our own life?  Is it worthy to enjoy treasures we earned, but suffer in the hell in the future?  One day, there was a rich man.  He asked God’s son, Jesus, “What good deed must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus said:” Go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and come, follow me.”  When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  Jesus sighed with emotion and said a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven only with difficulty.  Why it is so difficult for them?  Because they are greedy and don’t show concern for their [spiritual] selves.  That is God’s teaching about covetousness and greed.