Builders and bullies

Today: Jeremiah 18-22

What are you building?

You may think this is a bizarre question if you're not handy with tools (personally, I haven't ever built anything...unless you count a gingerbread house). But I assure you--this question applies to us.

Every day we're building something--perhaps we're building the people around us, businesses, churches, savings, political causes, knowledge--you name it. Building any of these things can be positive, but as we've discussed in other posts, order matters to God.

In today's passage, He continued His discussion with Jeremiah and the people of Israel about their bad behavior. Let's review God's words here:

Doom to him who builds palaces but bullies people,

who makes a fine house but destroys lives,

Who cheats his workers and won't pay them for their work,

Who says, 'I'll build me an elaborate mansion with spacious rooms and fancy windows.

I'll bring in rare and expensive woods and the latest in interior decor.'

So, that makes you a king—living in a fancy palace?

Your father got along just fine, didn't he?

He did what was right and treated people fairly,

And things went well with him.

He stuck up for the down-and-out,

And things went well for Judah.

Isn't this what it means to know me?"

God's Decree!"

But you're blind and brainless.

All you think about is yourself,

Taking advantage of the weak,

bulldozing your way, bullying victims."

Yikes--these people seriously messed up. They thought they were building wealth and financial security, but they were doing it in a way that bulldozed over something much more important--other people.

It's important to point out that in this passage, God doesn't necessarily criticize wealth. When He talks about past leaders who lived correctly and treated people fairly, He said, "And things went well with him." I don't think God would have necessarily made that blanket statement about leaders who struggled financially, dealt with constant conflict, etc. Other parts of the Bible point to leaders God loved and blessed who were extremely wealthy (e.g. David, Solomon, Abraham).

However, when we are driven by greed and a self-promoting thirst for wealth or power, it's out of line with God's order. We become bullies--builders of own designs instead of building according to God's plans.

Consider what you're building, the order you're following and your motivation. If it's out of whack, the solution is simple: Go after God first with all you've got. The other stuff can follow that (see Matthew 6:33).

Tomorrow: Jeremiah 23-25

What does it mean to be greedy?

Today: 1 Kings 21-22

Greed. It's an interesting word. What do you think it means to be greedy?

I instantly picture The Grinch and Scrooge--not Ebenezer Scrooge from Dickens' classic, "A Christmas Carol." I picture Scrooge McDuck (from a cartoon called Duck Tales, in case you didn't know), swimming in piles of money. I also picture people behind bars like Bernie Madoff, a guy with an all-too-appropriate name who stole millions from innocent people in a now infamous scam.

Those are the obvious choices, but they are the caricatures of greed in my head. Do I dare to see greed in myself or my friends? Usually not--but it doesn't mean that some form of greed doesn't exist in me, in the people I love or even people who claim to be God's chosen leaders.

Today's passage includes several stories that give us glimpses of greed. Here are a few ideas about greed I observed in this passage:

• King Ahab was very greedy--he REALLY wanted Naboth's vineyard. He tried to buy it (Naboth said no). But he continued to obsess about the vineyard. He wanted it so badly that he kept talking about it even when it was apparent that Naboth wouldn't sell.
  
• Jezebel jumped on the greed bandwagon. She didn't care about Naboth's vineyard, but she knew her husband did. So she constructed a scheme to have Naboth killed. Was she greedy? If not for the vineyard, maybe she was greedy for something else--power? Praise from her husband? Attention?
  
• Even though Ahab didn't know about the plot to murder Naboth, God held Ahab partly responsible. Did you notice that? I wonder if it was because of Ahab's greed...or the fact that Ahab voiced his greedy desires from a position of power (which influenced someone else to act on his behalf)?
  
• Despite all of his evil actions (these chapters describe him as a guy who "set an all-time record in making big business of evil"), Ahab repented and benefited from God's mercy. Wow.
  
• In another story about greed, two kings (one from Israel, one from Judah) wanted to go into battle against another city. They wanted to go and conquer REALLY badly and voiced their desire--or greed. (Sound familiar?)
  
• Hundreds of God-ordained prophets fell into a people-pleasing trap, telling the kings what they wanted to hear. Similar to the scenario with Jezebel above, were they greedy? Maybe they didn't care about conquering a neighboring group--but they may have cared more about pleasing the kings than speaking the truth. Did they crave praise? Power? Recognition?
  
• One guy (Micaiah) had the guts to tell the kings the truth. He told them what they needed to hear, which was different from what they wanted to hear. He took a big risk, but he did the right thing. It's the opposite of greed--he was selfless to serve God with honor, speaking the truth.

So what does it mean to be greedy?

Greed isn't just about wanting "things." You don't have to be rich to be greedy. You could be greedy for power, praise, attention...and a zillion other things. Greed is an attitude that says, "It's my way or the highway,""As long as I look good and get what I want, I don't care what happens," or "I'm not the one who's greedy. I'm just implementing what my leader wants."

Greed is a double-edged sword. It's a passionate pursuit at any cost, but greed is also a careless disregard--for other people, for doing the right thing and for actually listening (or caring) about what God has to say.

Tomorrow: 2 Kings 1-3