Proverbs 13:7-8
Merriam-Webster defines greed as, “a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed. I often ask myself the question, when I get to where I’m going, will it be enough? Will I be satisfied? Will I have peace? Maybe a better question is this, “when is enough enough? There’s nothing wrong with wanting more as long as the more is to meet your need, is not excess, and doesn’t neglect or inconvenience others.
7 Some who are poor pretend to be rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor.
Jesus commonly called the religious elite (Pharisees and Sadducees) hypocrites. During that time Jesus was using a Greek theatre term that described how one actor could play many parts in the same play. Essentially, he was telling them that they put on different masks depending on the circumstance and that they lacked authenticity and genuineness. All of us at one time or another have suffered from an internal identity crisis that encouraged us to compare ourselves with others, pretend we were something other than ourselves to be accepted, or be ashamed of our status in life, whether it be rich or poor. A good friend of mine told me once, “The Joneses don’t exist. Be yourself.” Nobody likes a fake or phony and to be quite honest authenticity or the lack thereof is the one barrier that is preventing the body of Christ from winning the world at-large.
8 The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened.
On the South side of Chicago there is a homeless woman pushing a grocery cart and as dangerous as that section of town is no one will ever bother her. Why? Because she is not perceived as a threat and her appearance in most people’s eyes communicates that she has nothing of value on her; therefore she is not threatened. However, a rich man may be taken and forced to release some of his money because of his perceived worth. Thankfully, our value is not external or limited to material possession, but yet begins with the intangible and the internal.