Are You Suffering From Pleonexia?

“Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed.”  Luke 12:15

Luke 12:13-21                                                   Rev. Todd B. Freeman

Bethany Presbyterian Church, Dallas                                           August 1, 2004

How would you answer the question posed in this morning’s sermon title? Are you suffering from pleonexia?

What is pleonexia? Well don’t waist your time looking in a medical journal or asking a physician or psychologist. You might want to consult a Greek dictionary, however. Or, if you have a really incredible memory, I mentioned it in a sermon on this biblical text 3 years ago.

Pleonexia is the Greek word, used in Luke 12:15, which is translated into English as “greed,” into Spanish as “avidez”. Jesus gives a stern warning to the crowd, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." That message is perhaps even more relevant for us in this day and age, with our culture of consumerism, than it was for those living in an agricultural society 2000 years ago in ancient Palestine. But evidently it was a problem then, too.

By saying that our lives do not consist in the abundance of possessions, Jesus is telling us that our lives are defined by who we are, not by what we have. But try getting that message across to a child who wants just the right toy, or a young person who is under enormous peer pressure to wear just the right name-brand clothes and tennis shoes, or to adults who feel pressured to drive just the right car, or live in just the right neighborhood, or in just the right house, or to have the very latest and best electronic equipment. Or in my case, all the latest soundtrack CDs.

It begs the question, How much is enough? That especially applies when we go deeper into debt trying to get the things we want – not need, but want. Compared with world standards, we must remember that we’re all rich. But there is a big difference between being rich and greedy.

So, what is greed? It is defined as the desire to acquire or possess more than we need. Greed seeks possessions, to get our hands on whatever we can, to acquire without reference to our own specific needs or the situation and needs of others. Greed also has a strong connection to the word “covet” which is one of the warnings in the Ten Commandments about desiring what other people have.

The Romans had a proverb that said money is like sea-water; the more persons drink the thirstier they become.

Again, the basis for the warning against greed is the assertion that true, authentic living is not to be found in our possessions, but rather in how we live our lives in relationship to God and to others. The Apostle Paul calls greed a form of idolatry when persons substitute their search for the divine, the worship of God, with the search for wealth and possessions, and in doing so ignore God in the process.

“True wealth,” writes one biblical commentator, “is only accumulated when one has God in mind in the use of one’s economic means.” That applies to every one of us, no matter how rich or how poor. That is the point that is made in the parable Jesus told about a rich man who is called a "fool" for storing up treasures just for himself, while not being concerned about being “rich toward God.”

It is very important to note, however, that the parable does not criticize the accumulation of wealth in and of itself. What is criticized in not becoming rich in spiritual matters. This parable not a condemnation or judgment, therefore, against those who have money and wealth. The farmer in our story was already rich before his claim to economic sufficiency, which is simply increased by the bounty of one of those very special years when everything has gone right agriculturally. We call this a “bumper crop.” A modern parallel may be when everything goes right in the stock market. (That applies, of course, only if you have the means to own stock.)

The farmer’s barns aren’t big enough to contain all the grain of this bountiful year. So, as a wise business manager, he upgrades his storage facilities so that all his harvest can be maintained most efficiently. When the work is done, he will be in a position to relax and enjoy his good fortune. All his responsibilities in life will have now been met, and all the needs of his life will now be satisfied - or so he thinks.

The twist in the parable comes when God informs the farmer that he will die that very night. After spending a lifetime trying to secure his financial future, he only has a few hours left of his life to enjoy it - to eat, drink, and be merry. That’s why Old Testament wisdom literature, like the Scripture passage we heard this morning from Ecclesiastes, calls all these pursuits “vanity,” and is compared to the impossible task of “chasing after the wind.”

But remember, the man isn’t condemned for accumulating wealth and securing his financial security, but rather for neglecting to also focus his attention on the things of God. For without an eye toward godly things, the farmer’s craving to keep all his good fortune only for his own personal enjoyment is, in fact, an act of total disregard for the needs of others.

The farmer hasn’t done anything illegal, he hasn’t stolen from his neighbors or mistreated his workers. He is a “fool” however, as the parable declares, for living completely in and for himself. He is selfish. The “rich fool” in Jesus’ parable, therefore, does not simply apply to people who are materially rich, but for those who do not think about God and how God would have us use our resources.

In the context of the gospel of Luke and the Christian community, that means we are to share our blessings with others. In other words, we must be concerned with good and faithful stewardship.

Biblical commentator William Barclay relates a story about John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist denomination. John Wesley’s rule of life was to save all he could and give all he could. When Wesley was first living in Oxford, England, he had an income of £30 a year. He lived on £28 and gave £2 away. When his income increased to £60, £90 and £120 a year, he still lived on that same £28 and gave the balance away.

But how many of us, in the society we live in today, simply use our increased wealth to upgrade and buy more stuff, rather than to give more and more away, including to the church?

In discussing the current financial situation of our church with folks at Presbytery, they all ask about our stewardship patterns of giving. Their point is simple, and though I’m not saying it’s necessarily possible for you to do so, if we each gave a tithe, 10% of our income to the church, we wouldn’t be in the financial situation to the extent that we’re facing. That’s something we must each prayerfully consider when considering our future.

As far as priorities in life are concerned, let us remember that Jesus taught true, authentic living is not to be found in our possessions or even in a sense of security, but rather in how we live our life in relationship to God and to others.

Today’s message may not be the kind that you and I want to hear. But perhaps we need to heed the warning to be on guard against all kinds of greed, to be reminded that wealth does not really secure the future, and that living a truly fulfilling life is a gift of God and not a hard-earned acquisition. So I’ll leave you with the following questions to ponder and reflect upon:

• What do your possessions really mean to you?
• How much is “enough”?
• How do you keep God in mind in the use of your financial resources and stewardship?

Amen.