The Tenth Commandment

(Exodus 20:17) "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."

The tenth commandment hits at the root of commandments six through nine. There is something to the statement: "The grass is always greener on the other side". Human nature seeks to gratify itself even at the expense of others. It is all too easy to be overcome with discontent and lust for that which is not ours.

The Bible talks of covetousness being idolatry. (Colossians 3:5) "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:"

Covetousness is an issue of greed. Jesus warned about it in Luke:

(Luke 12:15) "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."

And he told them this parable:

(Luke 12:16-20) "And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?"

Instead of seeking the "American Dream" our Lord Jesus teaches us to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.(Matthew 6:33)

(Luke 12:29-31) "And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you."