Excited appetite (expressed socially as love of money) leads to fear when exposed, or worse, anger to cover.
That’s a powerful insight. When appetite—whether for food, wealth, power, or pleasure—becomes excessive or wrongly directed, it fuels deeper spiritual struggles. The love of money (philargyria in Greek) is often an external expression of an inflamed appetite, and Scripture warns against it:
- “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
When such desires are exposed, they frequently trigger fear—fear of loss, judgment, or unfulfilled craving. This fear can then escalate into anger as a defense mechanism to avoid accountability or maintain control. We see this pattern in Scripture:
- Achan’s Greed Led to Fear and Judgment
- Achan took what was forbidden, and when confronted, he admitted:
- “I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels. I coveted them and took them.” (Joshua 7:21)
- His secret indulgence led to fear when it was exposed, and ultimately, his downfall.
- The Rich Young Ruler’s Fear of Loss
- Jesus told him to sell his possessions and follow Him, but:
- “When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Matthew 19:22)
- His love of wealth made him afraid to let go, trapping him in sorrow.
- Pharisees’ Fear and Anger When Exposed
- Jesus exposed their love of power and wealth:
- “You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” (Matthew 23:25)
- Instead of repenting, they responded with anger, plotting against Him.
Breaking Free from This Cycle
To overcome this trap of appetite → fear → anger, we must:
- Trust in God’s provision (Matthew 6:31-33).
- Be content with what we have (Hebrews 13:5).
- Use wealth righteously (Luke 16:9).
- Confess and surrender our desires to God (James 5:16).