"You shall not covet ...anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17)
Covetousness is perhaps the most subtle of sins. It seems minor compared to adultery, theft, or rape. However, before a man steals, he covets. Before he rapes or commits adultery, he covets. Covetousness is the spark that sets off the fuse of sin. It is a sin that lies close to the surface of every human being. Few children are content with ten pieces of candy when the child next to him gets eleven. Covetousness is the bedfellow of jealousy, greed, and lust.
Who of us can stand guiltless and say that we have never jealously desired something that belongs to someone else? Whether we long for an-other’s house, car, income, or lifestyle, our covetousness reveals a lack of gratitude for what God has already given us. It’s important to warn those who are guilty of this “harmless” sin that according to Scripture, “No covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Ephesians 5:3,5). In coveting, a person transgresses not only the Tenth, but also the First and Second Commandments. When he loves material things more than he loves God, he is setting his affections on the gift, rather than on the Giver.
Do you Covet? Repent from your sins, stop asking or wanting for what your neighbor has and you do not, and give thanks to the Lord for everything that you do have. God will provide everything you need in life both here and in his eternal kingdom. Peace be with you.
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