Strong says that covetousness refers to “avarice,” which has to do with having an insatiable desire for wealth.  Vine says that it refers to “a desire to have more,” and is always used in a bad sense.  The Complete Word Study Dictionary says it refers to the “the love of money.”   While to covet can involve the “inordinate desire for what belongs to another” (Webster), in the New Testament, it often refers to an obsession with material wealth in general.  Jesus warned His disciples about this.

Luke 12:15 (NKJV)
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.”

It is a shame that so many people do not heed the warning of our Savior.  This world is filled with people who believe that one’s life (happiness and worth) is dependent on the number of his material possessions.  Sadly, this form of covetousness is sometimes found in the church.

One of the things that can stunt our spiritual growth, if not destroy our souls outright, is a preoccupation with material things.  We must remember that the temporal things of this world are not what is most important.  We all have a desire for some physical things, but to be fixated with them is a problem.

Covetousness, in the form of materialism, is another self-inflicted wound.  We are the only ones who can determine for ourselves where our focus is going to be.  This is why John exhorts us not to love “the things in the world” (1 John 2:15).  Demas failed to heed this warning.

2 Timothy 4:10 (ESV)
¹⁰  For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

In deserting Paul, Demas was deserting the cause for which he stood, which was the cause of Christ.  He had previously been a faithful companion and servant of Christ (Colossians 4:14), but his love for this world overtook him and led him to fall from grace.  That kind of love for the world is usually a sign of covetousness.

When covetousness is manifested by an inordinate desire for material possessions, it demonstrates that a person has displaced God in his life with earthly treasures.  This is a form of idolatry (Colossians 3:5).  We have to choose who or what we are going to serve, but remember the words of Jesus:

Matthew 6:24 (ESV)
²⁴  “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Let us all strive to overcome the natural inclination to possess more and more material things.  If we can overcome covetousness, that is, the desire for earthly riches, we will be that much closer to overcoming self and allowing God to be the Master of our lives.  This will help us stay on the road to heaven.           

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.