The antidote for GREED

What Madame Blueberry's learns

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ephesians 5:3-20

TO CHEW ON: "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind of impurity, or of greed." Ephesians 5:3

It hits me as noteworthy that "greed," what we might consider a two-star sin in badness, sits next to five-star horriblenesses like sexual immorality and impurity.

"Greed" - "intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food" Dictionary definition, is hardly a stranger to us.

I'm spending some time with my grandkids as I write this. Yesterday I heard one of them asking his mom when he could go shopping for a certain big toy he wanted. She answered him by asking if he really needed that toy and suggesting he'd have to get rid of some of his other toys to make room for another one.

Later in the day we watched a Veggie Tales video, the one with Madame Blueberry (I had no idea of the theme of this  video when we picked it!). In it Larry the Cucumber and Bob the Tomato discuss Larry's desire for accessories for his mechanical jeep. They decide to visit Madame Blueberry, who lives in a beautiful tree house but is very unhappy because she is always comparing her things and her house to everyone else. (She has a shelf with pictures of all the stuff she wants, from new spoons to an air compressor. Later when salesmen from the new Stuff Mart up the street invite her to go shopping, she, Larry and Bob are out of the treehouse in a flash.)

On the way to Madame Blueberry's house, Larry and Bob happen upon a little girl who is celebrating her birthday with a humble piece of apple pie. The song they overhear her sing delivers a beautiful and memorable lesson for Larry, Bob, Madame Blueberry, kids and adults. (The veggies will recall this song later, when Mme. Blueberry's stuff becomes a huge disappointment.) Here are some of the lyrics:

I thank God for this day
For the sun in the sky
For my mom and my dad
For my piece of apple pie! ...

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!
I'm glad for what I have
That's an easy way to start

Listen to the whole song...

Our passage paints a picture of life in the Spirit.

• It's a life of "light" - Ephesians 5:8,9

• Transparency and openness - Ephesians 5:13

• Wisdom - Ephesians 5:13

• Mouths full of encouraging, uplifting, God-praising words and songs - Ephesians 5:19

• And the antidote to our very-bad greed—THANKFULNESS:  "... always giving thanks to God the Father for everything" - Ephesians 5:20.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to practice thankfulness, first in my thoughts and then in my words. Amen.

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Unless noted otherwise, all Scriptures quoted s in this meditation are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.