“He that hastens to be rich has an evil eye, and considers not that poverty shall come upon him.” Proverbs 28:22
At one time Howard Hughes was the richest man in the world. He worked hard to build an empire. He became obsessed in his singular desire for wealth, power and fame. His greed overtook all of his other priorities in his life. Despite all of this wealth, power and fame, in the end he had nothing. He became a recluse, isolating himself in his home and abandoning all that makes life worth living – family, relationships and community.
There is nothing wrong with pursuing a dream and working hard to become rich and successful. But when that pursuit morphs into the single-minded desire for wealth, dictating every aspect of your life, you’ve been infected by a cancer known as greed.
Greed creates unhappiness
Greed, unchecked, destroys your family, friendships and relationships, resulting in unhappiness.
Greed shifts your focus
It distracts you from the pursuit of your dreams, your goals and the things that are important to you – financial security, family, friends and relationships.
Greed creates tunnel vision
Greed forces you to chase what you do not have. You obsess on what others have and what you lack in life.
Greed makes you reckless, arrogant and lazy
It seduces you into taking shortcuts. Greed will entice you to take careless risks. It will drive you to do things that are illegal, unethical, immoral.
Be on wary of greed. It is a destructive force of nature that will undermine your life. It will take your soul, your family, your friendships and your happiness.
To prevent greed from overtaking your life, keep your eye focused on what is important to you – a loving family, caring relationships and devotion to your community. Don’t make money your focus. Money is just a means to an end. Give generously to those around you. Generosity is the antidote to greed.
About Thomas C. Corley
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