Beware of Covetousness

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house: you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” -Exodus 20:17 (ESV). “And He said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” –Luke 12:15. (ESV) “But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.” –I Corinthians 12:31 (ESV).

Covetousness arises out of a desire to possess more than we have; it is to long for, to reach after things. To covet was so much a part of human nature that God gave the last of the Ten Commandments to deal with the inordinate desire of wanting that which is not one’s own, whether it be to lust after one who is not legally linked in marriage, to desire possessions, or anything (an all-inclusive term for every thing not one’s own that persons might want). Scholars view the tenth commandment as reaching very deep into our nature because it deals with thought. Covetousness—wanting what is not rightly ours—is inward, heart-felt. Human laws cannot take cognizance of what goes on in the heart. It is true that oftentimes murder (the “thou shalt not kill” commandment) is ruled premeditated, beginning first in the heart. But covetousness is definitely “of the heart” and can motivate persons to commit murder or adultery or stealing.

The context of Jesus’ teaching about covetousness in Luke 12:15 followed after one from the crowd said, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” (Luke 12:14). How many of us have seen covetousness demonstrated following the reading of a will? So often, heirs think they do not get their rightful share, and ill-will, animosity and greediness result. Jesus followed His answer by giving the parable of the rich man whose land yielded plentifully. He built more granaries in which to store his crops and thought he could “eat, drink and be merry.” But God came to the greedy man, telling him that very night his soul would be required of hm. “And then whose will those things be which you have provided? So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”” (Luke 12:20-21). Jesus was firmly teaching that one’s life does not consist of an abundance of possessions. There is a better way than always wanting more for selfish purposes. But earnestly desire the best gifts,” Paul urges, “abd I will show you a more excellent way.” (I Corinthians 12:31). Then he goes immediately into that fine discourse on love recorded in I Corinthians 13. Love is the more excellent way. When genuine love for the Lord is in our heart, there is no room for the dark secrets of covetousness and inordinate desire for that which we should not have. In Luke 12:15, Jesus said that the covetous person will not “be rich toward God.” In Ephesians 5:5 Paul says they who covet are like the idol worshipers, virtually denying faith in God and replacing the love for God on things. How serious an offense to our loving God to covet. It is indeed understandable that He would make one of the Commandments: “Thou shalt not covet."