A Need or Greed?

It was Wednesday morning--the only morning of the week I have only one child at home. I was feeling very behind with jobs, so I was going to use the time to catch up.
But since it is much easier to go shopping with only one child, I first of all dropped into the 2 second hand shops in our town to look for something I needed to get for our son. Neither of them had what I needed, but I got sidetracked and ended up coming out with 3 tops and 2 necklaces for me.
Although I knew I should be at home and that I didn't need any of those things, I convinced myself that I need to go shopping sometimes and buy clothes etc for myself. Don't all women? Since I didn't spend much, I felt justified.
That afternoon I had to travel for an hour to my daughter's appointment, so I listened to a sermon on the way. It was all about giving and how we are to lose our lives instead of trying to save our lives. I listened to the incredible story of the widow woman that you can read here
I was convicted and realized that my need was actually greed!
What I needed was to be content and thankful for what I had.
All ladies do need to buy clothes sometimes--that is true! And it wasn't wrong for me to buy a few new clothes when I didn't necessarily need them. But my greed was wrong--my desire for more and more. My discontent with what I had. It was wrong to believe the lie that I needed those things.
Sometimes I convince myself that I need more 'me time', more time free from children, more money, or that my husband needs to be or do more this or that. When most of the time all I really need is to be content and thankful.
Sometimes we justify sin by thinking it's a need!
We can justify greed, envy and in some cases even adultery by thinking that we need something that we don't have or don't have enough of.  (You know...I need more affirmation, more love, more understanding, more help, more quality time etc.)
What we need is to be content with everything we have--our house, our children, our money, our husband, our clothes, our possession etc.
It is not wrong to go shopping or to buy something new, but greed and discontent is wrong.
So the next time you find yourself thinking "But I need...", stop and ask yourself if it is really a need or simply greed and discontent.
Hebrews13:5  Let your conversation (lifestyle) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Luke 12:15  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.