• Hear Jehovah’s Voice Wherever You Are
    The Watchtower—2014 | August 15

    • 12, 13. (a) Give an example to show how greed can lead to disaster. (b) Explain how greed can increase rapidly if not curbed.

      12 Consider, too, the matter of greed. A greedy person often takes liberties and oversteps the limits of proper behavior. After the Syrian army chief Naaman was healed of his leprosy, he offered gifts to the prophet Elisha, who refused them. However, Elisha’s attendant, Gehazi, coveted those gifts. Gehazi said to himself: “As surely as Jehovah is living, I will run after [Naaman] and take something from him.” Behind Elisha’s back, he ran after Naaman and resorted to outright lies to request “a talent of silver and two changes of garments.” What happened because Gehazi did this and lied to Jehovah’s prophet? Why, Naaman’s leprosy stuck to greedy Gehazi!​—2 Ki. 5:20-27.

      13 Greed may start small, but if it is not curbed, it can grow rapidly and overcome a person. The Bible account of Achan illustrates the power of greed. Note how quickly Achan’s greed progressed. He stated: “When I saw among the spoil a good-looking official garment from Shinar and 200 shekels of silver and one gold bar weighing 50 shekels, I desired them, so I took them.” Instead of rejecting the wrong desire, Achan greedily stole the goods and hid them in his tent. When Achan’s wrongdoing came to light, Joshua told him that Jehovah would bring disaster upon him. Achan and his family were stoned to death on that very day. (Josh. 7:11, 21, 24, 25) Greed is an ever-present danger that can overtake us. Let us therefore “guard against every sort of greed.” (Luke 12:15) While we may occasionally have an unwholesome thought or imagine immoral things, it is vital that we bring our mind under control and not allow our desires to escalate to the point that we commit a sin.​—Read James 1:14, 15.

      14. What should we do if we notice in ourselves tendencies toward pride and greed?

      14 Both pride and greed can lead to disaster. Reflection on the outcome of pursuing a wrong course will help us not to allow such inclinations to drown out the voice of Jehovah. (Deut. 32:29) In the Bible, the true God not only tells us what the right course is but also explains the benefits of walking in it as well as the consequences of going the wrong way. If our heart moves us to contemplate doing something that is motivated by pride or greed, how wise it would be to think about the consequences! We should consider how wrongdoing would affect us, our loved ones, and especially our relationship with Jehovah.