Beware of Covetousness

There is a post being shared on - where else - Facebook, about the preacher Joel Osteen owning a Ferrari automobile reported to be worth $325,000 or some like figure.  I read the comments and predictably they were pretty negative. 

Now just to let you know where I am with Joel Osteen, I don't know much about him.  I have maybe a time or two watched him on television.  I have not read his books, I don't go to any of his events.  I couldn't tell you anything about him except he lives in Houston, Texas and pastors one of the largest churches in the country.  That is as much as I know.  I am neither a fan nor a detractor. 

Back to what Joel Osteen chooses to drive.  What business is it of ours what he chooses to drive?  What makes me qualified to judge him on his choice of transportation or anything else for that matter?  I think the more important question for me is, why should it matter to me? (It doesn't).

Am I angry because he drives something I can't afford to drive?  Am I offended because he is more successful than I am?  Am I angry because I assume he spent ministry money on his fancy car?  Am I judgemental because I think preachers shouldn't have nice things, or at least nicer than what I have?  Why judge Joel Osteen at all?

Consider these passages from the Bible:

Luke 12:13-15

¹³ Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” ¹⁴ But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵ And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

James 3:16

For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

The bottom line of this is also the very ugly thing that is driving the protests and violence in our country.  The bottom line is envy and covetousness.  Check out these definitions to make sure we are all on the same page:

en·vy

noun: envy

a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck.

cov·​et·​ous | \ ˈkə-və-təs

1 : marked by inordinate desire for wealth or possessions or for another's possessions. He looked at his boss's new car with covetous eyes.

2 : having a craving for possession

Is our tendency to judge Joel Osteen born of envy or covetousness?  It's a very important question.  What exactly is wrong with Joel Osteen driving a Ferrari?  Would you feel better if he drove a mini van?  Why?  Where exactly is the line of what he should drive and what he should not drive? Who is qualified to write those rules?  Why do we appoint ourselves as the ones who should be his consultant about his preferred form of transportation? 

If you feel offended by Joel Osteen driving a Ferrari ask yourself some questions.  Did you send him some money for what you thought was for ministry and you think he instead spent it on this car?  I would suggest perhaps that you don't send him any more money if that is what you think he does with it.  If you never sent him any money, why are you upset?  Has he done wrong to you? 

Joel Osteen has written a number of best selling books.  He has presumably made a lot of money from the sales of those books.  Is he not free to spend that money as he would like?  You most likely work hard for your money, how do you feel if other people are critical of how you choose to spend the money you earn?  It is really none of their business.  I think Joel Osteen has the same right to feel it is no one else's business how he spends his money.

Jesus faced criticism from others about how money was spent on him.

Mark 14:3-9

³ And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. ⁴ But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? ⁵ For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.

⁶ But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. ⁷ For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. ⁸ She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. ⁹ Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

This fragrant oil, "very costly" was wasted on Jesus!  Just think, this money could have fed many poor people.  The money should have been given to missions!  The outrage! 

Surprise!  Jesus instead commends the woman for what she did.  Does Jesus catch us off guard here?  Shouldn't he be offended by this woman's generosity and act of devotion?  The truth of the matter is the outrage was not over the money not going to the poor but was fueled by envy and covetousness.

John records the true motive masked by the noble outrage:

John 12:5,6

⁵ “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” ⁶ This he [Judas Iscariot] said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

Ah, there it is.  Sometimes we are offended and outraged because we want what others have.  Or, we at least think they should not have it because we do not have it.  Think about your situation, someone can be offended by the nice car you drive, or your house that is bigger, or your boat or plane or your nicer clothes, or, or...  We all are in the place of being judged for some perceived favor, advantage or choice that we make.  It's all a trade off.  We have something nice because we chose to cut back in another area or saved or worked hard so we could enjoy something special. 

My thoughts?  Leave Joel Osteen alone.  He doesn't answer to us.  He answers to Jesus just like we do.  Our righteous indignation does not add or detract from what Jesus thinks of Joel getting his groceries in a Ferrari.