Carey Kinsolving –
Why Did God command us not to covet?
As former American President Abraham(Abe) Lincoln paced the floor amid the crying of his two young sons, someone asked, “What’s the matter with the boys?”
“Just what is the matter with the whole world. I have three walnuts, and each boy wants two,” he replied.
Lincoln’s boys were stricken by a bug, says Avery, age 8: “God commanded us not to covet because sometimes if you cannot get it out of your head, it might bug you.”
As Honest Abe discovered, the coveting bug disturbs the peace.
Advertisements entice
“If everyone in the whole world coveted, there would be no peace nor kindness throughout the world,” nine-year-old Sika said, to which Laura, also nine-years old, said, “Everyone would be whining and complaining about what other people have.”
“You aren’t cool if you do not have this,” is the motivation behind a lot of coveting, Taylor (10) said.
Colton (8) illustrates a better response to advertising: “If you see a cool skateboard on television, you should not be mean to someone who has it.”
This is easier said than done. Advertisers spend millions trying to convince us that we cannot live without their products.
Thank God
Courtney, 11, has the remedy. Instead of focusing on what we don’t have, “we should reflect on what we do have and be thankful for what Christ has given us.”
Offering thanks to God is a major antidote against the coveting bug. Remember what the Apostle Paul wrote: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (I Thessalonians 5:18).
In addition to being thankful, Christine (11), recommends another remedy: “God told us not to covet because he will provide us with what we mostly need, not junk that we don’t even use.”
We would do well to listen to Jesus’ stern warning: “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15).
Inner Reality
Jesus constantly pointed to the inner reality of His life with His Father. Once when His disciples offered Him food, He told them that He had bread about which they knew nothing. His food, the thing that really mattered, was to do the will of His Father.
“You should not set your sights on things on the Earth, but things above,” eleven-year-old John said.
Many people misquote the Bible by saying money is the root of all evil. Rather, it is the ‘love of money’ that is the root of all kinds of evil.
If money calls the shots in your life, you are worshipping a false god.
“No one can serve two masters at the same time,” Jesus said.
“You will hate one and love the other, or you will be loyal to one and not care about the other. You cannot serve God and money at the same time” (Matthew 6:24 ERV).
Ouch!
Exciting relationship
If you seek meaning and significance from things, you will never know the overflowing joy and inner peace Jesus provides. When you ask God to fill you with Godly desires, He will. The glitter of money and things will dim, because you will be enjoying an exciting relationship with him.
Kendal, 11, has been drinking from the eternal spring: “God wants you to find happiness in what you have. All you really need is Jesus to have that everlasting joy!”
Point to ponder: God wants you to find contentment in a relationship with him.
Scripture to remember: “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15).
Question to consider: Who really owns all your stuff?
Carey Kinsolving is an Auckland based storywriter and the above is a part of ‘Kids Talk about God’ distributed by Creators Syndicate. To access free, online ‘Kids Color Me Bible’ books, ‘Mission Explorers’ videos and all columns in a Bible Lesson Archive, visit www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org. To read journey-of-faith feature stories written by Carey Kinsolving, visit www.faithprofiles.org; © 2016 Carey Kinsolving
Photo : Abraham Lincoln with his youngest son Thomas (Tad).
Picture by Anthony Berger, Brady National Photographic Art Gallery (Washington DC)
