From Desmond Tutu’s African Prayer Book:
“Lord, we praise you in Europe’s cathedrals, in America’s offerings,
And in our African songs of praise.
Lord, we thank you that we have brothers and sisters in all the world.
Be with them that make peace.
Amen.” (West Africa)
Perhaps you’ve overlooked an oft-repeated phrase from the Epistles:
Romans 16:3 (ESV)
Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus.
Romans 16:21
Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you.
2 Corinthians 8:23
As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit.
Philemon 1:23-24
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
That’s an impressive group. You can add your name to the list.
1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are God’s fellow workers.
So we are on God’s team, and everybody’s doing their part. We should be successful, right? Except we weren’t.
I whined to God: What are we doing wrong?
God answered me, through a sermon on the radio. I don’t know who was speaking, I don’t remember the Scripture text. I do remember this sentence, God’s answer to my question.
God doesn’t call us to succeed; He calls us to obey. 
Which do you prefer: working alone, or with a team?
Most ministry is accomplished in collaboration with others. It’s true, sometimes someone fails to follow through and others have to pick up the slack. Per 1 Corinthians 12, God equips all members of the team. The goal is the common good. It is good when our common practice is to do our part.
And be certain of this: when teamwork is lacking, it isn’t God who is slacking off.
Contentment: the antidote to greed.
Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
Love God whole-heartedly, and that will be enough. More than enough.
I admit it–sometimes I get greedy, I want something that isn’t mine.
God nudges me: You don’t trust my plan for you, my provision for you?
King David’s words from Psalm 51 come to mind:
Against you, Lord, and you only, have I sinned.
It’s not just between me and the other guy. It’s all about faith and gratitude.
I’m reading The Pursuit of Man by A.W. Tozer. Monday I featured greed as this week’s constructive thought; I came to this from Tozer on Tuesday:
“Faith . . . shifts the inward gaze from self to God.”
How appropriate. Focus on God, and greed is gone.
We can trace a thread of greediness through Scripture, from Eve’s temptation in Genesis to the avaricious beast of Revelation. David, a man after God’s own heart, coveted his neighbor’s wife. Even Christ’s disciples jostled for the best seats in eternity.
Greed flows out of a sense of entitlement, saying “I deserve this.” Grace is unmerited favor. Greed and grace cannot fill the same space.
May you be filled with grace.
We hear a lot about greed. Who do you think are the biggest culprits?
Who is greedy? All of the above. And all of us.
Greed made God’s Top Ten list: Thou shalt not covet. Greed may enrich our bank accounts, but it diminishes our souls.
John Wesley, founder of Methodism, valued “works of mercy”– the social ministry of a believer — not as a means to get to heaven, but as a reflection of Christ. Wesley’s acts of mercy included:
I made my own wedding dress. I bought the fabric and pattern, cut it out and carefully sewed it together. Per Revelation 19, doing works of mercy is a little like making your own wedding dress.
Make works of mercy part of your daily routine. Be a disciplined and well-dressed bride.
