“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:17 NIV)
I find the commandment to not covet to be the hardest commandment to keep. This one is not a commandment about behavior and action, but about attitude and intention. I don't find it difficult to refrain from killing... or even the less obvious meaning of the commandment - killing someone's spirit. But I do find it difficult to refrain from feeling envy over another's ability to sing well or play an instrument. I find it difficult to refrain from envy over another's ability to manage money well or keep healthy habits. And I sometimes even find it difficult to refrain from envy over some else's car or home or clothes or vacations.
There is always someone who has talents or gifts or wealth that we don't... and that we wish we did. So how do we refrain from envy? How can we change how we feel? I wonder if the commandments shouldn't have been made into a list of "Thou Shalls" instead of "Thou Shall Nots."
Instead of "Thou shall not murder," what if it was, "Thou shall seek to make the lives of all others worth living." Instead of "Thou shall not commit adultry," what if it was, "Thou shall seek always to bring the greatest joy to your spouse." And then instead of "You shall not covet," it was "You shall count your talents, gifts and material goods and give thanks for them every day."
True gratitude sends envy running. When we are focused on the incredible abundance of what we have, we have no room to wish for what others have. Gratitude is the safeguard against covetness. Count your blessings today and every day.
Father,
You have given me more than I could count in a lifetime. Thank you. Amen.
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