Sue and Bob's mother died. She was a widow and left a modest estate. Her will named Sue, the elder sibling, as the executor. A small fee for this service was awarded to her. Bob didn't think this was fair and disputed another special gift his mother had set aside for her daughter. Bob broke off his relationship with his sister, and remained distant even to his death a few years later.

Family inheritances have often been a source of sad and bitter wrangling. A man in a crowd requested that Jesus settle an inheritance dispute. He refused and instead used the opportunity to address the real issue in this man's complaint. It was clearly greed. The god of money and possessions occupied top place in the man's heart.

Riches may bring some feeling of security for this life, but it won't help us get eternal life and peace with God. For most of us, the desire for wealth is never satisfied. When you value dollars more than people, you will inevitably be in conflict with others. Fighting over finances is also a leading cause of marriage breakup.

Only dying with Christ can release us from this powerful desire for possessions. Only living in him can bring us satisfaction with his supply of our needs and a heart at peace.