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"You must not covet your neighbor's house. You must not covet your neighbor's wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17 NLT
The tenth of the Ten Commandments uses a word we don’t often hear outside of people quoting the Ten Commandments: covet. To covet is to want something for yourself without consideration of the original owner. It goes beyond jealousy. It’s a passionate desire. In a sense, it is shifting what we should feel toward God—the generous Provider of all good things—to the things He’s provided to someone else.
Following the previous four commandments—you shall not murder, commit adultery, steal, or bear false witness against your neighbor—the order to not covet commands motivation instead of a direct action. Our neighbors need never know that we covet their wife, their status, their sports cars, or their estates. The sin happens in our hearts.
When we find ourselves enamored with the blessings others have received, we lost sight of the ways we’ve been blessed. To combat the sin of covetousness, it’s helpful to make a list of all the ways we’ve been blessed. Thankfulness smothers covetousness every time, and it realigns our hearts with the only One who can truly make us content: God Himself.
Prayer: Giver of all good things, help me be thankful for my blessings. May my attention remain on You so I am not distracted by my neighbor’s relationships and things.
The tenth of the Ten Commandments uses a word we don’t often hear outside of people quoting the Ten Commandments: covet. To covet is to want something for yourself without consideration of the original owner. It goes beyond jealousy. It’s a passionate desire. In a sense, it is shifting what we should feel toward God—the generous Provider of all good things—to the things He’s provided to someone else.
Following the previous four commandments—you shall not murder, commit adultery, steal, or bear false witness against your neighbor—the order to not covet commands motivation instead of a direct action. Our neighbors need never know that we covet their wife, their status, their sports cars, or their estates. The sin happens in our hearts.
When we find ourselves enamored with the blessings others have received, we lost sight of the ways we’ve been blessed. To combat the sin of covetousness, it’s helpful to make a list of all the ways we’ve been blessed. Thankfulness smothers covetousness every time, and it realigns our hearts with the only One who can truly make us content: God Himself.
Prayer: Giver of all good things, help me be thankful for my blessings. May my attention remain on You so I am not distracted by my neighbor’s relationships and things.
