Greed Devalues a Friend

Jesus’ death happened through the betrayal of one of the twelve men who had been with Him since the beginning of His ministry. May the sobering example of Judas warn us to value people over possessions with our actions and our words.

From an Africa Study Bible application note:

Jesus Christ came into the world to die for the sinner so that we may be saved. However, even though Judas had been with Jesus for about three years, he was deceived by Satan. Judas was a thief and corrupted by greed, which was part of what led him to deliver Jesus into the hands of His enemies (John 12:6). 

Greed is a powerful evil that can completely blind a person to the truth. Greed can be defined as an unnatural and obsessive desire for anything, not just money. For Judas, greed caused him to overlook the truth even after Jesus had warned him. Judas had seen all of Jesus’ powerful works proving that He was the Son of God, and he was still blinded by greed. 

We cannot bring change in this corrupt world if we entertain greed in our hearts. We must not harden our hearts like Judas, but rather we must repent before greed leads us down a dark path. If we do not repent, we will be blinded and become insensitive to God’s truth, serving Satan’s purposes. As Paul writes, “For a greedy person is an idolater, worshipping the things of this world” (Ephesians 5:5).

Today: 

Remember Mary generously anointing Jesus? John records that Judas was the one who said the perfume should have been sold and given to the poor. “Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.” (John 12:6). Greed and corruption often start small, but it can have deadly consequences. Can you think of a time you have disregarded family or friends, claiming you cared about time management or financial prudence?