The Consequences of Greed

October 6, 2017 

I don’t know how many of you saw the story about the college basketball recruiting scandal uncovered by the FBI.  Several college assistant basketball coaches were arrested, along with representatives of Adidas and some former NBA agents.  The allegations are that they were part of a conspiracy where the assistant coaches accepted bribes from Adidas to steer high school recruits toward schools that have contracts to wear Adidas gear so that when the recruit goes to the NBA, he would already be allied with Adidas.  Shoe companies want elite athletes to wear their shoes so the goal is to establish a relationship with the recruit as early as possible.  Some of the money paid to the assistant coaches would also be funneled to the families of the players to entice them toward a particular school.   This scandal will become huge as more facts are released. Rick Pitino, who coaches Louisville, has already been placed on leave.  Many more will be fired and people will go to jail.

Why?  Because they love the things of the world more than they love God.  1 John 2:15-16 says “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”  I feel sad for people who don’t know the Lord and His sufficiency and grace, whose only goals are greater position, status and wealth, and for people who are such slaves to money that they are willing to risk jail to have more.

I thank God today that no matter what we are going through, no matter what our needs are, no matter what pressure we happen to be under today, that His Grace is sufficient for us. (2 Cor. 12:9)