Then He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness. For a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

— Luke 12:15

What is covetousness? It is the inordinate desire for the things of the world. The Bible tells us that we must, indeed, try to provide the things needed by our family. In fact, the Scripture says that if any man does not provide for his own household, he is worse than an infidel and has denied the faith. The Scripture also tells us to go to the ant that gathers in the summer to provide for the winter. But covetousness goes beyond providing for the needs of our family. It is the attitude of being provident run amuck, gone loose. It is seeking to gather more unto oneself.

Covetousness has been called the sin that no one commits. One confessor declared that in fifty years of hearing the confessions of people, no one had ever confessed to committing this sin. A minister declared that in decades of leading prayer meetings where many sins were confessed, this sin was never heard on anyone’s lips.

The lust for more and more is ever present, and we must constantly guard against it. When you find yourself lusting after things that God has not given you, confess it as a sin, and at the same time, bring your earnest needs and supplications before Him.

Question to ponder:
How can you guard your heart today against covetousness?