Covetousness and contentment. If ever there were two words placed within the same verse that seem to point in totally opposite directions, it is those words found in Hebrews 13:5. One word seems to imply a persistent and relentless pursuit for something more than one already has. Covetousness is a condition in which a person's heart, mind and soul are preoccupied with getting and gaining more and more of the things of this world. At an even deeper level, to be covetous is to be so concerned with what someone has of possessions or abilities that we cannot be satisfied with whatever it is that we have.

Pointing in the opposite direction from covetousness is the word contentment. I do not know if you and I will ever reach this state in life, but the writer of Hebrews seems to suggest that it is an ideal state in which to live. To be content is to be satisfied with what you have. To be content is to be at peace with who you are. To be content is not to spend all day complaining about what is wrong in your life. To be content is not to mope around in self-pity because of what you have not achieved, or what you have not acquired, or what you have not attained.

To be content is to spend more time in the presence of God saying "Thank You," and less time saying "Give Me." However, the single greatest obstacle to finding contentment is following after covetousness. Many of us cannot be content with who we are and what we have accomplished or acquired because this world is always telling us that we need something more.

Has it ever occurred to you that the whole job of media advertising in America is to make us believe that we really have to have what we already know that we really do not need? We have a nice place to live, but someone convinces us that we need a bigger house or newer appliances. We already have a nice car, but the commercial convinces us that we need a newer and bigger one. We already have a closet full of clothes, but the sales persons has assured us that we need the latest fashions for this season. It does not matter that we already have all that we really need, and more. The only thing that matters is that we are covetous, and we are obsessed by those items. If we have the money we will pay cash, and if not we will charge it now and pay for it later. Once our charge cards are depleted we then turn to lay-away, and when lay-away is not soon enough for some people, they try something called "take-away."

We do strange things when we are convinced that we have to have something. The Bible is aware of the dangers of covetousness. Not only does Hebrews warn us about covetousness, but covetousness is mentioned among the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. There are several things that we are explicitly told not to do. We are told, "Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." Right alongside those serious spiritual warnings stands one more warning of equal danger and destruction: "thou shalt not covet."