You shall not covet.
—Exodus 20:17
Francis de Sales allegedly heard more confessions than any Catholic priest. He said that he never once heard anyone confess covetousness. We don’t confess it because we don’t think we’re guilty of it; covetousness is seldom recognized by its victim.
Yet, it ranks high among human flaws. A lopsided number of conflicts have covetousness at their center. “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight” (James 4:1-2).
Don’t leave this page before giving careful thought to these words of Jesus: “Beware! Don’t always be wishing for what you don’t have” (Luke 12:15 tlb).
Covetousness never travels alone;
misery always travels with it.