Saturday, May 21
Desire to acquire
Scripture: 2 Samuel 11-12, Psalm 60, 2 Corinthians 5
2 Samuel 11:2–4 One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. 3 So David sent someone to inquire about her, and he said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hethite?”
4 David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her.
Observation
David was a married man—several times over. He had many beautiful wives. Yet when he saw Bathsheba, he had to have her. Rather than turning away, he sent someone to inquire and then retrieve her. This was nothing but raw lust and greed and selfishness, the desire to acquire more when he already had more than enough.
This was part of Nathan’s prophetic message to David. The rich man in Nathan’s story had more than enough; there was no reason to take his poor neighbor’s lamb other than raw greed and selfishness.
And this selfish action cost David dearly. Not only did David and Bathsheba’s child die, but violence devastated David’s whole family going forward. Unbridled greed cost him big time.
Application
Sexual sin is always the result of greed and selfishness, but that is not the only way these are expressed. We live in a consumer culture. I have plenty, more than enough, but am always on the lookout for more. For the newest and shiniest. For the next best thing. The desire to acquire is powerful.
Years ago I learned to “admire but not acquire.” I can admire your new car or house without having to acquire one myself. David could have admired Bathsheba without acquiring her. It’s a big leap from “that is a beautiful woman” to “I must have her.”
My take away is this: when I see something that I admire or want, stop. Take a moment to assess what I already have, and be grateful and content. Don’t let unbridled greed, selfishness and the desire to acquire get the best of you.
Prayer: Lord, I have so much. Thank You for Your generosity with me. Help me to acquire less and give more. Set me free from “over-acquisitiveness.”