| FEBRUARY 1, 2026 -- You shall not covet. Exodus 20:17
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15
God’s warning against covetousness is a warning for our own good. Wanting what belongs to another is a gateway sin that will lead us to many other sins, such as theft, envy, greed, and even murder. Collective covetousness among a group of people or among the leaders of a group of people may even lead to war. Covetousness is a type of basic instinct seen in animals and small children, and we must train both our children and our pets away from this instinct. Remember your parents trying to teach you to share? It was for your own good.
In the long run, being covetous leads to misery, and learning not to be covetous leads to Joy. You will generally be much happier being satisfied with what you have than always wanting more than you have. St. Paul, in his first letter to Timothy, talks directly about this: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” I have included this extensive quote, because I couldn’t have said it any better.
One way to wean yourself from covetousness is to work positively to develop those attributes which are the opposite. This includes generosity, benevolence, charity, unselfishness, kindness, liberality, helpfulness and many others, all of which may be grouped under the heading of unselfish love for all people. The rewards of unselfishness are many, including: It improves the quality of your life. It gives you an appreciation for life and a comprehension of its higher values. In most cases it also improves your physical and mental health. Not only will your own happiness increase, but you are more likely to attract friends and decrease your chances of being lonely. So, guard against covetousness.
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