What do you want?

The final reminder not to covet remains the most ignored yet important commandment in the Bible. Most people discard or discredit this law. It seems simple and harmless, who hasn’t looked at a nice car and momentarily resented their own, or who hasn’t been envious at one point or another? It’s human nature to want what we can’t have, or to at least wonder how things could be better. However, we frequently let these motivations come out of hand and into hindrances. Some people refuse to be satisfied with what they have and consciously decline being content. This keeps us from allowing ourselves to be happy, and will lead to restless existences. I don’t think God was necessarily telling us to be mediocre bums who settle with everything that comes our way, but he wants us to not allow these sentiments to dictate and control everything we do. He doesn’t want us to throw our lives away working as a slave to the wage, nor for us to hold decadence and materialism as our core virtues. This rule is frequently overlooked because no direct or tangible harm comes from it. Thou shall not murder? Killing seems like a pretty logical thing to avoid. Don’t bear false witness? That’s fairly moralistic and easy to stick with. However, controlling that nagging voice in the back of your head is a more delicate feat to perform. You are allowed to give it some leeway, but you need to hold the reins securely. Not gagging that little voice will lead to a life you will never be happy with. No matter what you get, you will always want more; be it a flat screen TV or a trophy wife. God gave us this rule as a guideline to live by, not just an order to follow.