The Sin of Greed
“They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, but was rebuked for his own transgression …” II Peter 2:15, 16
A tragic character flaw in literature is greed. An example of it is Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, who thought of nothing but accumulating money. Another is Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby, who built his wealth to cover up his humble beginnings. An example of this character flaw in the Bible is Balaam, son of Beor.
Balaam’s story is found in the book of Numbers, chapters 22 – 25. Balaam is called a prophet, but it is unclear exactly what kind of prophet he was. He was not among the children of Israel yet seemed to have some prophetic relationship with God. We see this in that God gave him authentic prophetic oracles about the nation of Israel and their destiny.
Numbers tells how the Moabite king Balak was frightened when he saw the Israelites approaching his territory on their way to the Promised Land. He summoned Balaam the prophet to curse the people so he could defeat them. To his credit, Balaam inquired of God, but God clearly told him, “You shall not go with them” [the king’s messengers]. The Moabite king was persistent, however, and Balaam inquired of God again. It seems, as the story is told, that Balaam wanted to go badly because of the reward Balak promised. God allowed him to go but was angry at him for doing so. In Numbers, chapter 22, we have the account of Balaam’s donkey speaking to him and refusing to go forward.
In the end, Balaam will not be allowed by God to curse the Israelites and will not receive the reward. Balaam’s greed will overcome him, however, as he will help draw the Israelites into sin in the incident recorded in Numbers 25 (see Numbers 31:16). The books of II Peter and Jude both see Balaam as an example of greed and God’s judgment on it.
Greed is a sin that can easily capture the human heart. We may have an inordinate love of money because of humble beginnings. Greed may come from a fear of the future that causes us to obsess over accumulating wealth. Some people need money to gain status to affirm their self-worth. The love of money may cause people to commit crimes, both ordinary and “white collar” ones. Though it is certainly not always true, someone has quipped that “every great fortune begins with a crime.” The apostle Paul said simply that the love of money is a root of all evil (I Timothy 6:10).
The antidote to greed is the recognition of grace. When we recognize the riches we have in Jesus Christ, we realize that, whether we have earthly wealth or not, we are enormously rich in spiritual and eternal blessings. In fact, Jesus noted that all earthly wealth is subject to rust, decay, and theft. Only what we lay up for ourselves in heaven endures forever.
The virtue that weakens greed is generosity. A generous heart and spirit are signs that we recognize God’s enormous grace toward us. When we are generous with our time, talents, and emotional resources, we are rewarded with the good feelings that come with obedience and with the knowledge that we are reflecting God’s character, which showers the world with many daily blessings.