Be Thankful and Content
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall
not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or
donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” – Exodus 20:17
They were squabbling. Again. Whichever toy one had,
the other one wanted it. They were both guilty. They were never satisfied. I was beyond frustrated.
It was a wonderful illustration for all of us. Are you
ever satisfied with what you have? Oh, don’t be so quick to answer. The “new” wears
off quickly and then we’re off to wanting something else.
I ask God’s forgiveness for grumbling like the
Israelites in the wilderness. I say out loud all those things I am grateful
for. God has been so good to me. He has been so faithful. There is no need to
ever complain in the midst of so many blessings.
But we do complain, don’t we? Our neighbor gets a new
car and, suddenly, we want a new car too. Our friend gets a promotion and,
suddenly, we think we deserve a promotion too. Our co-worker goes on an awesome
vacation to Tahiti and, suddenly, we think we deserve a tropical vacation too.
What did you want today? Maybe it was something as
simple as that burger and fries your friend had at lunch while you stuck to
your low-fat diet. It’s hard not to be a little bit envious of someone who
doesn’t need to watch his weight while we’re having to scale back on the foods
we love.
Coveting doesn’t always mean something big. Sometimes
it’s the little things that cloud our days, making us a little less grateful
for what we already have. We’re always focused on the next new thing or what we
think we’re missing. We forget to enjoy today and all the blessings it brings.
A sweet friend talks about the need to downsize. She
laments the cost of health insurance and how some months she and her husband
can barely make ends meet. She drives a newer car. She goes out to eat numerous
times each week. And she always seems to be going on a vacation.
She has no idea how wealthy she truly is. Instead, she
blasts those struggling to afford housing and food. She has no compassion on
anyone who has ever received welfare or gone without. This is a woman who has never
worked a regular job or had to choose between food or medicine for a sick
child.
She isn’t grateful for what she has. She would deny
that. She would rush to say that she is grateful. Except all those complaints
really negate any moments of gratitude.
It’s not enough to say we’re grateful, then turn
around and criticize what God has so graciously given to us. It’s not okay to
say we’re thankful, then turn around and feel sorry for ourselves because someone
else got something we want or think we deserve.
When God told us not to covet what our neighbor has,
He wasn’t aiming it at someone else. He was aiming it at me and you. Pay
attention to your words today. Let your speech be filled with gratitude and
thankfulness. Replace wants and desires with reminders of all your blessings.
Choose to be content where you are, with what you have. Let your heart be
filled with joy. Praise God. Worship Him. Always and forever. Worship Him.
