Today we come to the tenth commandment. Exodus 20
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”
After a series of very brief, to-the-point commands, this one really does serve as a catch-all for anything else. In fact, coveting and discontentment often lie behind breaking the previous commands. Jesus told some rich leaders that they were not honoring their parents in their old age when they held back funds from caring for them, claiming they had "dedicated" the money to the Lord. Wanting what is rightly someone else's does often lead to theft and murder. People are willing to "lie to your face" to get what they want. People often get into adulterous relationships because they see someone else they think will be more fulfilling (think David and Bathsheba).If you think you're safe on coveting a donkey, translate that to a new pick-up truck or any kind of transportation. Covetousness and discontentment planted in our hearts and minds will lead to all sorts of sin against God and others. Most of all, it says to God: "You are not enough for me. What and who you have in mind for me is not enough." It is a slap in the face to God.
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