A Contented Heart

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, you shall not covet you neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17).

Coveting isn’t just wanting more. It’s thankless discontent for what we do have, combined with resentment toward God for not giving us the abundance we think we deserve. This lusting comes from pride.

Jesus said this is a sign of an unconverted heart (Mark 7:20-23). He also said, “Beware of covetousness, for a person’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses.” He told a parable of a foolish rich man who built bigger barns to hold his goods, but died without caring about his soul, saying… “So is he that lays up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God” (Luke 12).

This commandment convicted the religiously-unsaved Saul of Tarsus… “I had not known sin but by the Law (Ten Commandments): for I had not known lust, except the Law said, ‘You shall not covet.’" Not only did it expose his sin-sick heart, it also exposed his powerlessness to change himself. He realized that only through Christ could he be forgiven, saved from the death penalty upon law-breakers, and made “right” within.

For the rest of his life, Paul shared “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” saying… “What things were gain to me, those I considered worth losing for Christ. Yes, without a doubt, I consider all things worth losing for the excellency of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:7).

The Bible says, “Let your conduct be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have: for He has said, ‘I will never leave you, nor forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5). That’s the secret of a satisfied heart.

(Devotional by Lisa Cataford)