How does coveting affect my relationships?

Question

Accepted Answer

Romans 13:9The commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

James 3:16Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

Coveting brings disorder to relationships. It causes jealousy and promotes selfishness. It is really the opposite of love, because coveting wants to take from others while love wants to give to others. Love binds relationships together while coveting rips them apart.

Proverbs 15:27Greed brings grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live.

Micah 2:1-2What sorrow awaits you who lie awake at night, thinking up evil plans. You rise at dawn and hurry to carry them out, simply because you have the power to do so. When you want a piece of land, you find a way to seize it. When you want someone’s house, you take it by fraud and violence. You cheat a man of his property, stealing his family’s inheritance.

James 4:2You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

Coveting can bring grief to those close to you, for it leads you into sinful behavior—even against your own family members. Coveting occurs because you are dissatisfied, and dissatisfaction leads to disunity in relationships.

1 Corinthians 5:11I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.

Coveting can cause you to lose your most important relationships. No one can trust someone who has let their coveting get out of control. In fact, they can become dangerous. Coveting alienates you from the very people who can help you.