The Eighth Commandment: Work and Generosity

“You shall not covet .anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17) What does “covet” mean? Well, the Hebrew word used here literally means “desire” or “desirable.” Desire is not necessarily bad. God has created many good and desirable things in this world, and He wants us to enjoy them! But, because sin has broken God’s good world, desire can be twisted toward evil, like coveting and jealousy. It can take good thoughts like, “Wow, Jordan has a really cool car! Good for him. Maybe I should start saving up toward one,” and turn them into, “Ugh, look at Jordan’s car. He doesn’t deserve that. I should have it instead.” So how do we move toward good desire? Well, we can’t. At least, not on our own. Our hearts have to be transformed by Jesus. When we trust He has taken our sin upon Himself on the cross and resurrected from the dead to save us from sin and death, He fills us with the Holy Spirit. He transforms us into the likeness of Jesus, and this transformation reflects the two biggest, most overarching commands: love God and love neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40). That is the only way to turn our desires toward good things instead of coveting. If we love God and are secure in the knowledge that He loves us, we remember He showers us with good things—loving relationships, hope, strength, peace, and creation itself, just to name a few. We can rest, content in His goodness, knowing He will always take care of us. Therefore, we don’t have to jealously chase after the gifts He gives to other people. If we love our neighbor, we will desire good things for them—and we will work to make those good things happen. Instead of responding with bitterness and jealousy, our hearts will overflow with joy when our neighbors receive good things. In the kingdom of God, one person’s happiness does not detract from another’s; it multiplies it. • Taylor Eising • Have any of your relationships been damaged by coveting? How can you work toward reconciliation with that person? • Rooting out jealousy is hard! It takes honest, sometimes painful, self-reflection. But it is worth it to live in unity with our brothers and sisters as the body of Christ. Take some time to pray, asking Jesus to reveal the jealousy in your heart and to replace it with His love. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:15 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Exodus 20:15; Leviticus 19:9-10; Acts 4:32-35; Ephesians 4:28