Nobody Talks About “Coveting” Anymore

The Tenth Commandment is against “coveting.”

That’s an old-fashioned concept that no one really seems to talk about any more.

Which is a shame, because coveting is a sure way to be unhappy.

This is because coveting is wanting something that isn’t yours to have.

Including someone else’s life. And wanting something that isn't yours to have is a sure way to be miserable.

It’s like when Peter asked Jesus what the future held for the Apostle John.

Jesus’s response? “What’s that to you, Peter?”

It’s the same for us—we are constantly allowing ourselves to covet things that aren’t ours: other people’s lives or bodies or families or bank accounts.

The only solution to this is gratitude.