Prayer – Lord, I confess to You that I coveted something for that I knew my husband would like to have—who wouldn’t want to win a free motorhome? Greedily I signed up to win the RV—it was a scam! I was the greedy one! Ugh. Please forgive me, Lord. Revive me and restore my confidence and hope!
You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor. Exodus 20:17
Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” Luke 12:15
Meditate. Consider God’s expectations.
Covet: wanting something, wishing or desiring something that belongs to someone else.
Greed: a selfish desire for wealth, power, or material things.
Does greed come from coveting? We are directed not to covet by God Himself through the Ten Commandments that He gave Moses for all mankind. That is simply: Don’t want what belongs to anyone else. If a person wants and wants and wants—that is major coveting and it is pretty greedy. Is it greedy for a person to want something for free? Most of the contests out there on television, social media, and the internet are enticing people to get something free—or how about gambling or buying lottery tickets? Are those appealing to people’s greed—their craving for obtaining something for nothing, riches, or authority? Gimmy-Gimmy-Gimmy. No honest work involved…just selfish desires for more money, riches or control.
As I understand it, if a person hoards what they have, then they are being greedy. Jesus gives us the example of what He expects of us. He not only served those around Him, He gave His life for all mankind.
So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45
Consider the stories of the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, or the Feeding of the Five Thousand, if we are greedy or covetous will we be willing or able to help those in need? Will we even see the needs of others?
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people.
Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal….
Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The LORD will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Isaiah 58:6-8, 10-11
When His people seek and serve Him, God gives wonderful promises like giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. Those promises certainly seem better than the emptiness of greed and covetousness. The choice to make in any situation is up to each one of us for ourselves. Next time I have the opportunity to”Click Here” to win some wonderful free prize…I’ll think twice. Greed and covetousness won’t get the best of me. I’m using my best thoughts, words, and actions for the Lord. What will you choose?
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| God’s mercies are new every morning. Seek His love and grace. Do not covet. Have no greed in your life. |
© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
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