Daily Devotional
Word of the Day
An Indictment Against God
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
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"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."
(Exodus 20:17)
There are three Hebrew words for covetousness, all have distinct meanings and give good insight into what this word really means. Sometimes we lose a little bit in our limited English language. In Exodus 18:21 the Hebrew word "betsa" talks about unjust plunder, an immoral, illegal means of acquiring. In other words, we use our position and power for our personal gain. We can talk here about selling drugs, but how about taking advantage of a brother in a business transaction for our own personal gain? When you deal with a Christian brother or sister, you do not have to give them something every time. God may move on your heart to bless somebody, but you are not obligated to do something for nothing for another Christian. If you are in business, you might want to give them a discount, but don't charge them more. The spirit of covetousness says, "Because I'm a brother he trusts me; therefore, I can take advantage of him." That's obvious; most of us wouldn't do that.
This kind of spirit is not willing to allow God to set the standard for us by the Lord making rich, but we have set the standard of our worth--what we desire, what we want, what we should possess. We will do whatever it takes to acquire it. That is unjust plunder. What makes it unjust? God is not the source of it. What makes it unjust is that you put the value on it, not God.
Exodus 20:17 says, "Thou shalt not covet...," and it goes on and gives us the details. The word "chamad" here talks about delighting in, perceiving everything that you don't have as more valuable than what you do have. Discontentment says the grass is always greener on the other side. Are you ever tempted that way? "If I could have that, I would be happy. That will really establish my position and worth. If I can go to work in that suit, if I can go to work in that car that will show that I am a success." That's the spirit of covetousness. Anytime we gain our worth from something external or in what we possess instead of who and what we are, then we are moving in a spirit of covetousness.
Let me give you an example. You say, "All my friends have $700 tennis shoes and mine are only $300. I'm nobody. All my friends have motorcycles; I have a two-wheel trike." We begin to devalue ourselves by valuing ourselves based upon what we possess. We assume others are better or more blessed and we are getting a raw deal in life. That is the spirit of covetousness. The need to possess what everybody else has in order to be equal is covetousness.
When we are covetous, we are judging God to be unrighteousness, unjust and a respecter of persons. He has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness in the spiritual realm. He said He would give us everything that we have need of in the natural, material realm. Covetousness is an indictment against God--His love and justice. It is a problem of not knowing God. Godliness with contentment is great gain.