Man by nature is insatiable. His greedy nature keeps him wanting more and more from life all the time. When he gets one he craves for another and most of the time, even the new one is never truly the required. He craves with an eye that is tightly shut and the blindness of his eyes often leads him into the pit of destruction. Sometimes, the realization of where he has fallen comes too late. Man by nature is ruled by the powerful arms of greed and to him the only thing that gives him a lasting peace is when he feels the whole world around him is his to control ad this is not possible. So, when he is not the one ruling or controlling affairs then nothing works. Based on this declaration of nothing works, he goes ahead with full force to ensure that nothing works really. In the bid to actualize his selfish tendencies, he unleashes wars and wouldn’t mind breaking his neighbour’s hands, legs and head just to make the point.
It will be recalled that God gave man the power to rule the world and take dominion but man usually forgets that this injunction was in relation to the lower animals like lions, elephants, gorillas, snakes etc. and not to his fellow human beings. Incidentally, he leaves the lower animals and demonstrates his superiority on those who have equal rights with him. Yet ironically, he runs and dreads the lower animals like the ones mentioned above which indeed he ought to control. When the use of his power becomes over bearing it results to frictions, quarrels and even war.
Man should realize that as long as there is life, every other human being has the same right to life and existence. The first man, Adam had respect and regard for his fellow beings, that was why he did not kill Cain and Abel his first fruits when he begat them, rather he took time and nurtured both children with the help of his dear wife Eve. Remember that before the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve knew no pain. They had everything going for them, good apartment, beautiful green vegetation with rich foods to edify their bodies and souls.
After the fall in Eden, Adam patiently tilled the ground and provided food for his household, a journey he had never experienced before. Eve on her own painfully but patiently bore the pains of child birth until she pushed forth her two boys respectively. The respect for peaceful co-existence led the couple all through the path of hardship and this they bore just to provide a meaningful existence for the fruits of their marriage. If Eve hadn’t any regard for his children, she would have killed them during delivery because of the pains of labour. But alas she bore the pain and nurtured them until the two became adults like her. Also the heat of the sun which Adam suffered in the field coupled with the cold and harsh wind did not make him throw in the towel in surrender. Rather through resilience, he forged ahead and was able to smile home with enough food for his family. Every bit of his achievement in life was through sheer determination and hard work. It was the same with his dear wife Eve.
The love and peace which Adam and his entire household enjoyed was truncated the moment envy and greed appeared in the life of Cain. Out of envy, he killed his blood brother Abel, for no just cause. Mr. Devil was really at his best. Whatever force that led Cain to lift a murderous hand against his blood brother was a very powerful force. Through the power of greed the first burial of a human corpse was recorded. I imagine the shock on the face of Adam and Eve to have witnessed the hand of their son Cain kill his brother Abel. It must have been the most traumatic experience of their lives. Not even their exit from Eden could be likened to the state of shock and loneliness they suffered with the death of their beloved son Abel. That is the power of greed!
That power is still at work today. From the time greed emerged in the home of Adam, it has not ceased till date. It was this same greed that led Jacob to steal his brother’s mandate of first born’s position. Today brothers kill their fellow brothers because of earthly possessions. How can you feel comfortable in a world where you were the instrument to a fellow man’s demise? One thing I know for sure is that you will remain a fugitive in the land just like Cain. You should have known that the life of your brother is as important as your own life. Why then treat his own life as if it is immaterial?
The same greed played itself out in the days of Lot. There was an directive by God for Abraham, to leave Sodom at once and none should look back. The greed in Lot’s wife however, caused her to break the rule and the ultimate end was a death penalty. She could not bear the sight of losing all her valuable materials like her jewelry, costly fabrics, Italian shoes and bags that brought an end to her life. Today if you get to Israel her statue is still standing as a constant reminder of the consequence of greed. Yet most people who have seen this very sight have come back without much to that effect.
Those who have visited this sight and other scenes both in Israel and Egypt can attest to the fact that the bible stories are real. Those issues raised on the pages of the Bible are seen in their concrete forms and for those who believe in the philosophy of seeing before believing, can go and see things for themselves. One of the things about unbelief is that most people see and yet they do not believe. If you say you are a firm believer of God’s word, you must allow his words to rule your heart. One of the things God detests is a greedy heart.
A lot of people believe that every good thing must stop at their door step. Once a good thing is happening in another person’s house, their greedy eyes pop and the envious spirit in them will finish the rest of the story.
Most traders are involved in this greed syndrome. As a trader, you should know that it is not everyday that you must experience the regular stream of customers flowing into your shop. On a good day, you might have a good record of customers’ presence and at another day, it might be your neighbour’s turn. When it is his turn don’t begrudge him. Thank God for him instead of being jealous. When God sees that you share in your neighbour’s joy and blessing, he will bless you the more. But when you brood over his success, be rest assured that God will have no business with a sinful heart as yours.
Greedy men abound every where much more in the political field. That is the reason one particular person will want to occupy a particular political position for the rest of his life. During campaigns, he makes a lot of campaign promises which are far fetched. That is why some make promises that are unattainable. The moment they ascend, they throw both the realizable and the unrealizable into the trash pan. They use public fund as if it is their birth right. The enjoyment of their portfolio will make them to serve 2nd, 3rcJ, 4th and 5th tenures. Then the only thing that occupies their mind is how to rule for ever. At such points there manifests the limited reasoning of man. You forget that the particular position you are occupying was through the people’s mandate and not your birth right. You equally forget the manu akara aphorism which the Igbo employ to caution greedy public officers. What is good for the goose also makes sense to the gander.
Such a politician will forget that he was not the first to be on that seat and that the person who was there before actually vacated it creating the vacuum for another to fill. Now that it is your turn to vacate, why are you finding it difficult to relinquish so that another person can occupy? In the bid to possess a position, many politicians will enter into the market in search of every deadly weapon to main and subdue any dissenting voice. At this particular time Jacob’s method of supplanting becomes much better, Jacob in his bid to take away his brother’s birth right, deceived his brother with a plate of porridge. He also tries the persuasive approach. At least Esau had food to-eat while his birth right was slipping off his grips. Though Jacob took the right of the first born from Esau, he never did it through guns and machetes.
Today, however, the reverse is the case. It is the issue of you must give me power or die, it is either you vote for me or you risk your life. This is not right at all!!
Don’t forget that the ember months are here and so you must thread with caution so that you can live beyond 2013. What you could not achieve over the years may be practically impossible to achieve in a day. You should rise now, take a new decision to walk on the right plain. Who knows God can still have you in his budget plans this year. It will still not be late, for God is never late in his dealings with men.
