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“And He (Jesus) said to them, “Take care and be on your guard against all covetousness  for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”  Luke 12:15 (ESV)

“Perfect” echoed from my lips as I recalled the Christmas party at a friend’s home.  The tree was breathtaking with dazzling lights, precisely placed ornaments and flawless ribbon strands flowing from the top.  Nestled in the corner of the sunroom, its height barely missed the ceiling. And the glow through the cascade of windows illuminated a warmth dispelling the dark cold outside.  A delish spread of appetizers and decadent desserts lured us into the dining room complete with lavish Christmas florals down the center of the table.  Absolutely gorgeous!

Sliding into a comfy chair visions of “wish I lived here” danced in my head. The moment was surreal, and I was totally taken in.  Perfect never looked so good.

Hours later, I walked through my front door as reality sunk in.  My once cute tree now seemed shabby, lacking and the ornaments out of place.   My favorite chill spot definitely wasn’t as comfy as I had thought.  And the list mushroomed as reminders of my friend’s home loomed in my head.

Sound familiar?  Desiring to have something someone else has leaves us sulking, depressed and jealous.  Craving another’s life and their seemingly “perfect” ultimately lands us in a pit of discontentment.  God spells it out clearly in His word – covetousness is a destructive sin.  And just in case we’re not sure what we are not supposed to covet check out Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house (ouch);  you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that is your neighbor’s.”   I think that just about covers it all – don’t you?

Bottom line coveting is basically a declaration of ingratitude towards God.  We feel His hand of blessing is short towards us and yet abundantly extended to someone else.  One of the great lies of Satan – God is holding out on us.   Nothing could be further from the truth.  Real problem is our gaze is fixed on the wrong things which ultimately moves our heart out of alignment with God’s.

Jesus reminds us in Luke 12 to take care and guard against all covetousness.  When we find our eyes settling and our minds comparing, we need to extinguish those darts immediately.  And the best way to take care in advance is to cultivate a deep well of gratitude.  Continuously praising God for His immense love, sweet forgiveness and our forever home.   When we gaze His direction, we will find everything else pales in comparison.  And for those moments when temptation raises its ugly head, we can fight the good fight with His words hidden away in our hearts.

“Father, You have blessed us beyond anything we could ever imagine – teach us to cultivate genuine gratitude on a daily basis.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life