“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Heb. 13:5; NKJV
Covetousness is a peculiar subject. Most people do not know what it means when they first hear it. The first time many of us encounter the word is by reading or hearing the Ten Commandments. It is the tenth commandment, which states, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s” (Ex. 20:17). Of course, “neighbor” in this context means the same thing it does in the command to love your neighbor, which is everyone. Considering all this, we should definitely make a point to not only understand what it means but avoid it as best we can.
Covetousness means having an excessive desire for wealth or possessions or for someone else’s possessions. In other words, it is lusting for money and/or possessions. This covers two of the three things the devil uses to lure us into sin. John wrote, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world” (1 Jn 2:16). This lust can manifest in many ways, causing problems in several areas of your everyday life. Let’s face it, all the devil really wants is to create chaos, despair, and unhappiness in a believer’s life. Actually, he wants to kill you, but since believers belong to the Lord, he has no say in that department. Allowing yourself to get caught up in wants and desires opens the door for the enemy to provide all the temptations he needs to keep you miserable.
Some believe that coveting is about money or things money can buy. This is correct in one sense, but it means more than that. The NASB translation of this verse reads, “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have…”, however, the original Greek gives the impression that it is more than just money. This is why the KJV and NKJV gave it a wider meaning. Desiring something you do not have is not necessarily a bad thing. Without that, we would never strive to achieve more in our lives. When you covet something, it becomes an obsession to attain it. Wanting a new car because your neighbor just bought one is not the issue. It is when that desire becomes your focus anytime you see or think about your neighbor that it becomes a problem. I have seen people go into debt to gain what they think they need. The problem is they didn’t know they needed it until someone else had it, or worse, when a seductive advertisement convinced them they needed it.
Being content with what you have does not mean you do not work to achieve more. It means you are equally content with what you have or with more, or even less if need be. The important part is to take to God in prayer and trust the outcome to Him. He will not leave you for forsake you. Sometimes what you want may not be what is best for you, but you will not know that if you don’t pray about it. Learning to be content with what you have is a noble goal. Remember Paul’s words, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Php. 4:12-13; NASB).
God bless and have a great week