Jesus taught us in Luke 12:15 “And He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’” Jesus warned us against covetousness, which is a strong desire to possess something. The something could be anything that you see someone else have and you want what they have. Or it could just be anything that you don’t have but you really, really want it. You think it will make you happy, it will fulfill your deep desires; it will show that you are successful in life, or it might protect you from problems that might come upon you. Whatever your motivation, covetousness is your strong desire to have something. Jesus warns us that we should not be covetous.
Then Jesus goes on to explain that one of the reasons that you should not be covetous is that your life does not consist in the abundance of the things that you possess. What is the real purpose in your life? Where is true happiness and true satisfaction? What is the wisest way to live your life? What does God want for you? It is not in gaining an abundance of things to possess them. It is not in having a lot of things.
What is important in life? True value in life is living our lives as God designed us to live. We are created by our God. It is our business to seek to please Him. One of the great messages of the Bible is that it describes for us how God wants us to live and what pleases Him. John wrote in 1 John 3:22-23 “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” Keeping His commandments pleases God. One of the greatest commandments God has given is to love one another. Believing in Jesus Christ, keeping God’s commandments and living our lives in love for others are some of the best ways to put true value in life. Having an abundance of possessions does not put true value in life.
The desire to have a lot of things focuses on trying to please ourselves in this world. We live in this world, but we should not consider it our home. An old spiritual song says “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue … and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.” Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Our hearts should not be here on earth and neither should our treasures be here on earth. By faith we believe that there is life after death. As a result, we need to live our lives in faith and prepare for eternal life. It is not wrong to have possessions, but our treasures should be in heaven and not here.
It is really a heart issue. Where is your heart? Is it on possessions, pleasures and accomplishments? Or is it on loving and serving God. Jesus taught in Luke 12:29-31 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.” Many people in the world seek the abundance of possessions. Do you seek for worldly things or do you seek God’s kingdom? God knows what we really need and what is good for us. When you seek Him first, He promises that the needs of life will be supplied to you.
We are encouraged to seek those things that are above. Colossians 3:1-7 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.” Note that one of the things we are to put to death is covetousness, which is idolatry. It is idolatry because covetousness puts possessions as our god instead of our heavenly Father.
We should seek to have a content heart. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” This passage warns against the dangers of desiring to be rich and encourages us to be content. The apostle Paul learned how to be content and depend upon Christ. Philippians 4:11-13 “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” I encourage us to be more like the apostle Paul in contentment and dependence on Christ and God.
Jesus taught us to avoid covetousness and that our lives do not consist in the abundance of the things that we possess. So rather than seeking the possessions of this world, I encourage you to first seek those things that are above and learn to be content.