We are all a little greedy at times; it shows up in many areas of our lives. 

We look at a buffet and heap our plates full, only to leave some uneaten at the end. 

Well, not always … if we don’t leave food on the plate, we often need someone to roll us out of the restaurant because we ate way more than we should have. 

One time when we were at Disney World in Florida, our son, Mike, saw people walking around chowing down on turkey legs and he wanted one, too.

He was 9 years old at the time and the turkey leg was about half his size. He still thought he could eat it. Not a chance! Before we threw it out, Lily, his sister, Karlie, and I all pecked away at it just to eat enough to justify throwing the rest out. 

I’ve also seen greed a million times playing hockey. A player will hold onto the puck too long before he passes or will try to stickhandle around one more guy. Every time the pass gets intercepted or he loses the puck. 

His greed keeps him from making the play.

The other day, however, I heard the greatest example of greed in years, even though this person’s greed was camouflaged as being unlucky.

While driving in my car, the radio station I was listening to had a game going on. The caller would tell the DJ where to cast a fishing line and you would hear the line go out and plop in the water. You would hear a reeling sound and then the announcement of what the caller won. 

Before this one caller made her cast, she told the DJ she was really unlucky. But after her first cast, she won $140. 

Now, I think that if you were an unlucky person, you would respond with, “I just got $140 for free. Thanks, I’ll take it.” 

But this unlucky person didn’t do that. She said, “I’ll cast again.” And there was no hesitation; she didn’t even have to think about it.

Cast two went out and, unbelievably, she won $150.  

For sure I thought she would take her money – after all, she was unlucky. 

Nope! Without blinking her eyes – and believe me, even over radio I could tell she didn’t blink – she said, “I’ll cast again.”

And this time she caught nothing. She lost it all.

And you just know what she thought after she hung up. She thought, “I was right; I’m unlucky.” 

No, you’re not, lady. You are, first of all, foolish … I’d like to say “stupid”, but my wife tells me I shouldn’t use that word. 

Second of all, lady, you are greedy. 

That lady was lucky. Out of all the people who called in to the radio station, she got through. Then she made money on her first cast and made more money on her second cast. 

That’s luck. But her greed overpowered her luck.

We all have that urge to get a little more than what is in our hand. Recognize when you get the urge and don’t be greedy.

Here’s the thing: Many people want to squeeze all they can out of life. They want to do it all before they give their lives to God. Don’t be greedy with your life, thinking you want a little more before you ask for forgiveness, or you want to wait just until … and then you will ask God to forgive you and be the boss of your life. Don’t be greedy; get right with God now. You never know when your game will be over.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you find you are greedy with? Leave your comments below.