Are you attracted by that new item that someone has just got? That iPad or iPhone, that new piece of designer clothing, that car, that CD, that movie, etc.

Switch on your television and watch it for 30minutes and count the number of times you get urged to want something you may not have! Greed is promoted like nothing else in our culture. We are told to want and buy and have at all costs. Even if we do not have money to get the item we are told “no problem” get it now pay later!

How can that last of the 10 commandments or guidelines of God’s word in the ancient world make any sense today? It’s crazy to think of limiting our desires isn’t it?

Well that word says "Do not long for anything that belongs to your neighbor. Do not long for your neighbor's house, wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey."(Exodus 20:17NIRV)

It focuses on looking at others and how we start to want what they have!

Think about it! Doesn’t contentment come from feeling adequate and complete? If you had never seen an iPad, would you really need it? Could it be that our “needs” are manipulated but taking a contented person and showing them something to make them discontent?

This way we can be kept discontent all our lives! We can never have everything material or in relationships with others (particularly with the opposite sex) and if we continually strive to get a better model of what we already have we will set ourselves up for becoming a pawn in an economic treadmill for which our notorious enemy provides the evil motor of greed.

So, although it is counter-cultural, we must respect that this 10^th commandment is really sensible. Jesus when asked to judge over things inherited between brothers had this to say:

(Luke 12:15 NIRV) "Watch out! Be on your guard against wanting to have more and more things. Life is not made up of how much a person has."

Here’s a story that may help understand this:

A certain CEO’s who owned his own company was having great success and his products were going viral worldwide with everyone wanting them. He thought to himself, “what should I do? I don’t have enough capacity to produce and store the products for market.”

Then he said to himself, “this is what I will do. I will replace my outdated manufacturing plants with new ones that are bigger and better and build warehouses to hold triple the amount of product that we produce today! This will keep us going for many years! Then I will take life easy, party and have a good time!”

But God said to him, “you foolish man! This very night I will take your life away from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”

That is how it will be for anyone who stores the things of life away for himself, but is not rich in God’s eyes!

In who’s eyes are you rich?

Wow! I wish the television reporters would subscribe to that law. I wish they would report truth not apparent truth. We would all appreciate that! How many times to they directly or indirectly misuse truth to increase ratings. How many times are they misused to deliver untruths?

It was a bright African day and a group of men and women waited patiently at a boardroom table for a group of Catholic nun’s to arrive. The agenda was focussed on how to provide education for under privileged children. The nun’s were to attend as advisors to a corporation who wanted to help these children.

The nun was late! Real late! Hours late! People waited until the peripheral conversations died away as boredom and silence reigned.  The heat built up, the insects buzzed outside and the sun slowly moved in an arc across the sky but still she did not arrive.

Finally the door swung open! Instead of that wonderfully happy smiling black face framed by the white habit, we saw a nun that was that nasty grey color that only a black person in huge shock can depict. No white toothed smiles! Deep pain filled those eyes and sorrow sagged the shoulders.

Gently we asked what happened. One nun explained someone had mislead a national television crew into believing they could film an antiapartheid demonstration on a specific street corner at a specific time. Then these young rebels had stopped all passers by half an hour before the crew was to show up. This was to build up a crowd, and when the television arrived, they picked an old man and accused him of being a traitor. They then beat him up in front of the camera’s. Finally they put a car tire filled with gasoline over his head while he was still alive and lit it, burning him alive infront of the television camera and the crowd. The crowd was forced to watch and had to cheer or face similar circumstances! The nun watched until the mans screams stopped and he died. This was to get a story on television! An innocent man died horribly to support others lies!

I know! I knew that nun and I was sitting in that boardroom!

We don’t tell lies damaging others like this, or do we?

Often our false words spoken in selfish manipulation kill reputations!

I have watched it happening in numerous churches where this should never happen. I am in one where this is happening right now. It happens in companies, in homes, in families, in friendship groups! False words(maybe even with good intent), followed by denial and then unforgiveness and anger, destroy not only individuals but whole groups of people!

Why?

God hates lies! He hates truth taken out of context (that is telling lies)!

It is said “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18)

We need wise tongues! This is difficult isn’t it! James pointed out just how difficult “but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:8)

We need to be careful with our words. We need to ask God to help us!

 Our good book says “The tongues of wise people use knowledge well.   But the mouths of foolish people pour out foolish words.” (Proverbs 15:2 NIRV)

We need to be careful of speaking toxic words. We need to avoid toxic environments!

An article that I agree with says;

As much as possible, avoid being around people who are negative toward you. No matter what their excuse is for it, it isn't good for you. If you can't avoid them completely, limit your time around them, and take steps to counteract the messages they send you by thinking positive thoughts and saying affirmations. Choose to spend time and be in relationships with people who support you and help you realize your wonderful potential. You'll live a much more joyful, healthy life.”

Not only do we need to avoid these environments, we smust not create them! We need to be gentle with our words. Maybe we could try to use healing words not hurting ones. Praise, thankfulness and forgiveness go a long way to building a great environment!

“Yes, you have a point, have you considered…”

“I’m sorry you see ‘X’ as having done ‘Y’ but we all make mistakes, can we perhaps find a way to help ‘X’….”

“I’m sorry…”
“let me consider what you have pointed out…”

Are some positive responses in negative situations, I expect you know many more!

As a Christian we are called to build up truthfully!

That is the direction of our calling, if you aren’t a Christian, this is a great life principle anyhow.

Let’s build others up today and stay away from spinning truth and telling lies!

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