Do Not Covet — Exodus 20:17
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor”
— Exodus 20:17, NIV
This commandment teaches that God cares about what we want, not only what we do, and He calls us to be content.
Many people know this verse in its older wording: “Thou shalt not covet.” It closes the Ten Commandments by looking inside, at the desires of the heart.
To covet means to want something that belongs to someone else so strongly that it takes hold of us. Notice how the verse ends: “or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” It moves from a house to an ox and a donkey, and then leaves no gaps.
In our time, coveting often starts with a scroll. We see a friend’s new car, a coworker’s promotion or a perfect vacation photo, and a quiet ache begins. Coveting is like salt water: the more we drink, the thirstier we become.
Admiring good things is not wrong, and neither is working toward a goal. Coveting begins when someone else’s blessing makes us resentful, or when wanting turns into a plan to take. It can lead us to break the command not to steal.
Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15). The cure is not more things but deeper trust. Scripture says, “be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).
Contentment grows as we taste and see that the Lord is good. A heart filled with God has less room for envy.
Today, when envy rises, thank God for three things He has already given you. Then pray for the person you envy, and ask God to bless them.
Lord, You are enough for me. Free my heart from envy, and teach me to be content and thankful for all You have given me. Amen.
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