Scripture Notes: Do Not Covet (Exodus 20)

God makes it very clear in His covenant commandments to His people: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s” (Ex 20:17). But what does it mean to covet? 

We all look at things that other people have and say, “Wow! That’s great! I would sure like to have that, too.” That is not coveting. That is merely appreciating the goods of this world, which are truly good. 

But when we start thinking things like, “I want that, and I don’t want that person to have it, too,” then we enter into the realm of coveting. Essentially to covet something (or someone) is to have a disordered desire for it (or him or her). It is to turn that thing or person into an idol, to put it first in the order of longings, to want it so badly that it becomes an obsession, and to want it exclusively for oneself. This is the kind of attitude that breaks God’s commandment. 

What is so wrong with coveting? First, it disobeys God’s will for us. We must put Him first in our lives, far before any worldly good. Second, it disrespects other people by wanting to deny them the goods they rightfully have. Third, when we covet, we put ourselves and our longings front and center and end up thinking and behaving like small children who want what they want when they want it and throw tantrums when they do not get it. 

So we should all take some time to examine our consciences in this area and make sure we are not falling into patterns that violate God’s very reasonable command of “Do not covet.”