Coveting

We often try to equate wrongdoing with our external actions, like stealing or saying some bad words. However, our thoughts themselves can trip us up. Such is the case with coveting. It is what happens in our minds prior to taking away something that someone else has. Coveting has been referred to as “mental stealing.” It is something that can stir us emotionally and lead to some tragic action.

In Scripture, King Ahab had his eyes on a vineyard that was next to his palace. The vineyard, however, belonged to Naboth. Ahab wanted Naboth to sell and offered a very good deal. Naboth refused to sell since it was to stay in the family. Being determined to get his way, Ahab enlisted his wife Jezebel to have Naboth killed. After his death, Ahab took possession of the vineyard.

What length are we willing to go to gain possession of something that we covet? We might want to possess something that a sibling, friend, or co-worker has. The reason we do so ultimately comes down to this: we are not content with what we have. We are not content with what God has provided for us; therefore, we desire more—we covet.

The antidote to coveting is contentment. It is accepting what God has given to us. In fact, having what someone has might not make us happy at all in the long run.

Is the seed of coveting taking hold in your life at this moment? Once you do covet something, how do you squelch it?