June 14: Life Isn't in Possessions

Money might be tight right now. Or maybe it’s fine, and you still feel like it’s never enough.

Someone in a crowd asked Jesus to make his brother split an inheritance. Jesus didn’t take sides. Instead, He warned everyone: watch out, and guard yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.

Then He told the story of a rich man who had such a good harvest that he decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones. He planned to relax and enjoy it all for years. And God said: you fool, tonight your soul is required of you.

Greed is a slippery defect. It doesn’t always look like wanting to be rich. Sometimes it looks like anxiety about money. Hoarding. Never feeling secure no matter how much you have. Measuring your worth by your paycheck. Being stingy with people who need help.

Drinking often damages finances. Lost jobs. Debts. Money spent on alcohol that could have gone elsewhere. In recovery, it’s natural to want to make up for lost ground. But that can turn into grasping, into believing that if you just had enough money, you’d finally feel safe.

Jesus says your life isn’t made of things. It’s made of something deeper. Your relationship with God. The people you love. Who you’re becoming.

Step Six is a good time to look at your relationship with money. Is greed or fear on your list? Has it shaped your choices?

Practical honesty helps. If you’re in financial trouble, get help making a plan. If you’re secure but anxious, practice generosity. Giving something away, even something small, loosens greed’s grip.

Generosity isn’t about the size of the gift. It’s about the open hand. A closed fist can’t receive anything either.

One thing today

Do one small generous thing today. Give something, buy someone coffee, drop something in the offering. Notice how it feels to let go of a little.

A prayer

Jesus, I’ve been grasping. I’ve believed that enough money would make me feel safe. Guard me from greed. Remind me that my life is more than what I have. Make me generous. Amen.

On defects and willingness: Step Six.

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