greed, envy, & lust

generosity, contentment, & self-control

Greed, envy, sloth, pride and gluttony: these are not vices anymore. No, these are marketing tools. Lust is our way of life. Envy is just a nudge towards another sale. Even in our relationships we consume each other, each of us looking for what we can get out of the other. Our appetites are often satisfied at the expense of those around us. In a dog-eat-dog world we lose part of our humanity. ~Jon Foreman

It's never enough, never, never enough

Why is all that we have simply never enough?

It's so sad
Is anything ever enough?

When I think of the three “deadly sins’ mentioned above, and the quote by Foreman, there are two particular movies that come to mind, “The Wolf of Wallstreet,” and “American Hustle.” To be honest, there are a lot of movies that cover all seven deadly sins in a one stop shop, and these two films fit that bill as well, but they come to mind because they are based on true stories, and they hit on everything Foreman mentions in the quote above.

“Wolf,” is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government. “Hustle,” also ‘loosely’ based on a true story and takes the viewer through the life of a con man named, Irving Rosenfeld and his seductive partner Sydney Posser. These two con artists end up forced to work for a wild F.B.I. Agent, Richie DiMaso, who pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and the Mafia.

To be honest, I didn’t finish watching either movie because the objectification of the women, and knowing it was based on a true story made me angry and want to throw up. I can testify to the fact that sexual lust and the feeding of that lust is destructive to anything in its path, families, homes, and the women, and individuals lives included. My sons and I have lived that fallout.

So, you might be curious as to why I lumped envy, greed, and lust together in this one writing? It’s true, each could easily fill a blog of their own, and I would guess most of us understand how they each negatively impact us on their own, but I see them more collectively. I see how they build upon one another, and feed off of one another, wrapping us in a cocoon wound so tight, that breaking free could seem hopeless and impossible.

Greed and envy will rot our souls. Greed’s purpose is to finance envy.

In an article by the British psychological society about deadly sins they say greed is, ”the dogged pursuit of wealth and power [and] is part of human nature.” We live in a society that values self-enhancement and materialism, and this includes the aim for power, wealth, money, status, and image. When these things are priorities, we are likely to behave in a greedy manner.

“People who claim that materialistic goals are important compete rather than cooperate, [they] endorse a Machiavellian stance towards interpersonal relationships, and care less about other people’s inner experience. ”

Tim Kasser, psychologist, Knox College

Luke 12:15 says, “Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Matthew 6:24

Richard Smith, author of, Envy: Theory & Research says, “If greed motivates us to obtain wealth and status, than envy is the emotion that's triggered when another person achieves what we want and we think they don't quite deserve it.” When we feel envious we feel inferior, longing, resentment, and ill will toward the advantaged person. The envious person hopes for those they envy to lose their status or wealth and when it happens they gain tremendous pleasure from another’s pain.

I thought it might be important here to distinguish envy from the related, but separate emotion of jealousy. Jealousy occurs when a person fears losing an important relationship with another person to a “rival,” or someone deemed a threat to them. It can also be fear or insecurity over losing some thing, an object or possession. When we feel jealous, we feel fear, insecurity, and anxiety about a possible loss, and suspiciousness and anger over a possible betrayal.

Smith went on to say, “Apart from their obvious semantic similarities, envy and jealousy are easily confused because it is precisely those people we envy who are most likely to attract the attentions of the individuals we fear losing.”

Both envy and greed are characterized by desires that simply cannot ever be filled or satisfied. They both are like a consuming fire that turns our focus inward on our wants, our desires, our needs. Greed and envy will rot our souls.

“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”
Proverbs 14:30
“And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 4:4

“Envy and greed always, always exact a terrible price. I have never met an envious or greedy person who was at peace.”

~ Billy Graham

So, if envy and greed are desires that can never be satisfied, isn’t it safe to say that lust falls right in line with these two? The very fact that lust grips so many lives and is never satiated suggests that it indeed has become a form of greed.

Like greed and envy, lust is a feeling, and not an action. Lust is a desire to gratify our senses, and most often is focused on our sensual desires, but sometimes it has nothing to do with sexual desires. Today’s culture tells us, “if you want it, you should have it,” but then when you can’t get it, you’re susceptible to envy.

Lust is a psychological force that produces an intense desire for something, or an experience. We can lust for sex, power, money, food, material items, whatever that “fix” might be. “Lust turns people into liars, deceivers, and manipulators. Their actions towards others are based on the craving to get. Just as a junkie will do about anything to get his fix, so someone steeped in lust will do about anything to be self-gratified.”

(The Hopeline)

Lust is about gratifying our fleshly desires.

“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
2 Timothy 2:22
“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
Romans 8:6

Getting back to our movies mentioned earlier, “The Wolf of Wallstreet,” and “American Hustle,” in both of these stories, all of the people were driven by greed, envy, and lust. They were willing to do anything to get their fix in an effort to feed their lust for sex, power, money, food, material items, whatever that insatiable craving was in the moment.

Jordan Belfort, Irving Rosenfeld, and his partner Sydney Posser took a lot of people down with them in their need for instant gratification and their endless craving for more. They also led others down destructive paths. They created toxic cultures where they and their employees made moral sacrifices for success. They did illegal things and acted immorally.

Am I making any sense here? Do you see how these three “deadly sins” can build upon one another, and feed off of one another, and before we know it we are wound so tight in a cocoon that breaking free could seem hopeless and impossible. But there is hope and it is possible to break free or to remain free from their bondage.

I say remain free because we should never think that we are above or beyond falling into any of these behaviors.

We are all human and capable of getting caught up in greed, or envy, or lust. However, the power stay strong and free of these patterns of behavior does not come from within. God alone gives us the power to overcome our bondages and our weaknesses.

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13

It’s next to impossible to walk this earth and not be affected by greed, envy, or lust. In one way or another all our lives are touched by these sins. The world, politics, corporate America, schools, churches, everything. Every ‘system” is marred by elements of them. HOWEVER, there are antidotes, also known as virtues, that counteract these poisons that try to corrupt our hearts.

Generosity, contentment, & self-control are the virtues that can overpower these three deadly sins in the following ways…

Generous people:

1. Are selfless and altruistic. They remember they die with nothing. This life is fleeting.

2. They are driven by their desire to help and encourage others. Their focus is on impact.

3. They practice gratitude. They are grateful & appreciative in what they receive.

4. They are humble.

5. They are patient. They don’t need immediate results from their actions. It’s not all about them.

Generosity cures greed by putting our focus on others and away from self. When we are generous we aren’t storing up treasures here on earth for ourselves, but we are living in a charitable manner

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Contentment can overrule envy, but it most often requires intentionality, and practice. It’s generally not a natural state of being.

Content people:

1. Own their resentment/envy they have with others, generally caused by insecurity, in order to overcome it.

2. They take on an attitude of gratitude.

3. They recognize their calling and gifts and don’t play the comparison game.

4. They fix their eyes on the finish line and don’t look all around at what everyone else is doing.

5. They don’t base their happiness on material things or this earthly life. Relationships matter most.

1 Peter 2:1 indicates that it takes intentionality to be content and not envious. “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”

“The bottom line on envy is this: When you’re envious, you’re in a battle with God. You doubt God’s goodness in your life. You resent His decision to bless somebody else. You accuse Him of being unfair. You don’t believe He has your best interest at heart, and you accuse Him of playing favorites.” (Alex)

Victory over lust begins with self-control, and this is an area where we really must lean into God. We cannot fight this battle on our own.

Self-controlled people:

1. Know their weaknesses and avoid putting themselves in tempting positions.

2. Avoid things/substances that might remove their inhibitions.

3. They have a healthy perspective between needs and wants.

4. They know their own value which helps them respect and value others.

5. Are persistent people. They understand the old saying, “nothing good comes easy.”

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Our desires and thoughts do not force us to sin. Our desires become evil when we act upon them.

Instead of slipping into sin, we need to act with the knowledge and confidence that God is faithful to provide "the way of escape," 1 Corinthians 10:13 whenever we are tempted. Our focus needs to be on denying actual sin, growing to maturity as believers, and learning to please God.

Olivia Newton-John - Never Enough

12 hours a day ain't such a long time
It's only a means to an end
He thinks that his pay will buy her devotion
But he's only payin' for her to pretend
What more can he do than give her his heart
Wrapped up in a love so sincere
Lookin' around at all that they have
It seems clear

That it's never enough, never, never enough
Why is all that we have simply never enough?
No, it's never enough, never, never enough
It's so sad
Is anything ever enough?

She ran out of time for people who loved her
Their love couldn't get her nowhere
Isn't it sad she started collecting
Friends who are strangers, but she doesn't care
Surrounding herself with phonies and fools
Who tell her what she wants to hear
Lookin' around at all that she has it seems clear

That it's never enough, never, never enough
Why is all that we have simply never enough?
No, it's never enough, never, never enough
It's so sad
Is anything ever enough?

Why must we want so much more than we have?
Will we never be satisfied?
Just look around
How can we feel so denied?

But it's never enough, never, never enough
Why is all that we have simply never enough?
No, it's never enough, never, never enough
It's so sad
Is anything ever enough?
Enough...

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: John Clifford Farrar / Alan Tarney / Trevor George Spencer / Pat Farrar

7 deadly sins & their counterparts(2, 3, & 4)