Covetousness vs. Contentment
“And He said unto them, Take heed and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” Luke 12:15
I heard a really good sermon from my pastor this past Sunday, the subject of which was the tenth commandment, “Do not covet”. We mostly think of coveting as desiring something that someone else owns, but coveting can be a desire for more and more material possessions, money, fame, or power, etc. Coveting is basically trying to fill a need that can never be satisfied with stuff. Coveting can also be a symptom of anxiety, that is, some folks think that things or money can ease fear, loneliness, depression, or insecurity. We’ve all likely seen the television program about hoarding. Most of what folks hoard is junk, but they can’t seem to part with it because of their anxiety.
Covetousness is not just a modern day problem. When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, the last one was “do not covet”. An extreme desire for possessions, power, or other things is a factor in violating some of the other commandments. The Ten Commandments were given by God to His creation thousands of years ago, thus those ancient folks also had a problem with coveting. They coveted oxen, donkeys, servants, and their neighbor’s spouses (Exodus 20:17). The Samaritan woman whom Jesus met at Jacob’s well, as Jesus pointed out, had been married five times and was, at that time, living with a man to whom she was not married (John 4:18). In going from man to man, she was looking for something that none of them could provide. Even the most loving spouse cannot satisfy one’s spiritual need for a right relationship with God.
Scripture tells us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (I Timothy 6:10). The Apostle Paul went on to say that some folks in their covetous pursuit of money allowed their desire to damage their faith which caused them to “pierce themselves through with many sorrows”. When one allows money to become his or her god, he or she eventually discovers that money is no god, only a master of deception. God fills the heart with joy and peace. Any feeling of happiness that comes from possessions is only temporary and is not true joy. “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Timothy 6:6). If we have a roof over our head, a bed to sleep on, food to eat, a car to drive, and a job to provide an income, we have more than the majority of people in the world.
Thus, in the race between covetousness and contentment, there is only one current and eternal winner. You can decide for yourself which path that you will choose.