“Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.”
Psalm 119:36 [KJV]
Photo credit: Miranda
Last week, a Christian course I’m studying had a module on contentment. Our homework included compiling a list of “If only… I should be/have… I don’t like…” statements that we tell ourselves. My list contained both ‘little’ grievances such as, “I don’t like having to wake up early,” and ‘bigger’ concerns, such as “Being single has its advantages, but if only I had a Mr Right.” While doing the exercises, I realised several things about my life. Firstly, the length of my list showed how easy it is to think of discontent thoughts. And secondly, as I read over the list, my thoughts quickly became covetous. “Other people don’t have to wake up that early. Other girls have their Mr Right. Why can’t I have what they have?”
We often struggle with discontentment and covetousness. Our looks, relationships, circumstances and perceived success easily dissatisfy us. We often compare ourselves with others, or the mythical person we think we ought to be. We’re vulnerable to advertising claiming that such-and-such is a must-have item. We’re susceptible to the world’s impossible and even perverted definitions of feminine ‘success’. And we allow even God-given desires to consume us in sin and defeat. Take, for instance, a single woman’s yearning for marriage. If I don’t surrender this God-given desire to the Lord, then my sinful nature will make me discontent and covetous. If I say, I need to be married to be happy, this is in disobedience to Philippians 4:4a, which says “Rejoice in the Lord alway”. If I claim my singleness is a barrier to serving God, this contradicts 1 Corinthians 7:34, which stresses that an “unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit”. And if I look at some other girl, and say, ‘I don’t want her man, I’m just upset there isn’t one for me’, then 1 Corinthians 13:4 says, “Charity envieth not.”
Sometimes we minimise the sin of covetousness. We say, it’s just what I’m thinking. If nobody knows what I’m thinking, then it doesn’t affect others. But the tenth commandment says, “Thou shalt not covet… any thing that is thy neighbour’s” (Exodus 20:17). Jesus himself said, “… Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15). Satan fell because he coveted God’s authority, position and power (Isaiah 14:12-15). Discontentment and covetousness are sins themselves, but they also give birth to other sins, such as disobedience (Genesis 3), theft (Joshua 7:20-21), adultery (Matthew 5:28) and murmuring (Matthew 20:10-11). Additionally, like the horseleach’s daughters in Proverbs 30:15, covetousness cries “Give, give” and is never satisfied. One week you covet another woman’s outfit and buy something similar or better. You feel a temporary thrill as you wear your new clothes, but before long, you see another dress you admire and the cycle continues.
Psalm 119:36 says, “Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.” These words imply that, unless God intervenes, our sinful hearts would become covetous. But it also shows us that the cure for covetousness is focusing on our relationship with God. Firstly, Psalm 119:36 is a prayer (us talking to God) and secondly, ‘thy testimonies’ refers to the Word of God (how God talks to us). Let’s consider these two essentials.
Firstly, prayer is critical to winning the ongoing battle against covetousness. In Luke 18, Jesus told us “always to pray, and not to faint”, while 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says “Pray without ceasing.” And yet, if we’re honest with ourselves – if I’m honest about it – I know I don’t pray enough. I’m too proud. I think I’m strong enough to handle temptations. But that’s the devil’s lie. Philippians 4:6 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” In Matthew 26:41, Jesus reminded the disciples how vulnerable sinful man is: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” We can’t defeat any sin in our own strength, let alone one as insidious as covetousness. The Lord says to us what He said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9b). We should also pray with thankfulness. Covetousness focuses on things we don’t have; thankfulness is centred on what we do have. Thankfulness uplifts the discouraged, reassures the anxious, and refreshes the weary. But we under-utilise it. As one preacher at my church recently said, “many of our prayers are complaint reports to God. We are eager to complain and ask, but slow to thank.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Regardless of our circumstances, we can – and should – thank God for our salvation (Isaiah 12:2, 1 Peter 1:3), His mercy (Psalm 106:1-2), and His trustworthiness (Psalm 56:4).
Faith in the Word of God is another essential defence against covetousness. The “testimonies” or ‘witnesses’ of God refer to the Word of God. The Bible is authored by the Holy Spirit not men (2 Peter 1:21). It’s a living, eternal Word (Hebrews 4:12, Matthew 24:35) that “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16b). So, what does the Bible say about how to prevent or deal with covetousness? Here are few thoughts pulled from my course notes, a sixty-year-old sermon I listened to, and my own reflections. Firstly, covetousness is the opposite of contentment. Contentment is faith in God’s sufficiency. We tell ourselves “if only this or that, then I would be appreciated… enabled… fulfilled… happy…” But Hebrews 13:5 says, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Paul said, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11) and “Our sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5b). My Christian life, self-worth and emotional stability are not dependent on what others think of me or even what I think of myself. Nor are they dependent on material things: Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” It is ignorant and presumptuous to question God’s will, and yet, you and I sit in our homes and churches, and mutter, “If God cared… If God was truly good…” But God is a loving God, and “no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11b). To have victory over sin, we must first surrender to God’s will. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” I’m not just glibly saying that I want to do God’s will. I mean it. I’m committed to prioritising what God prioritises. More than any earthly advantage, I want to be “a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).
Oh Lord, keep us from covetousness. Help us, through the dual weaponry of prayer and the scriptures, to align and realign ourselves with Your will. Keep us focused on heavenly priorities rather than earthly possessions. And may we pray with the psalmist, Lord, “Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.”
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