ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE:  There are those who are contently striving for more. This is not bad in and of itself; however, to avoid the constant urge for more and not being satisfied requires that we appreciate and be content with what we already have.  How do we develop an attitude of gratitude?

In our previous lessons, we talked about how to be successful with money by wisely managing the resources God has given us. We agree that to successfully manage the money and possession God has given us; we must put God first in our finances and in all that we do.

Now we will look at something that is a serious matter – covetousness.  Covetousness is when we are never satisfied with what we have and are always wanting more.

It can take us into dangerous territory. What is the danger of covetousness?

We’re going to look at the dangers of covetousness and its potential to lead us down a path to destruction.

Review any of our previous lessons @ SabbathSchoolDaily.com.

Also, you can obtain the study guide to these lessons @ Sabbath.School or ssnet.org 

Inviting God’s Presence

Dear God, help us to be content with our daily provision and give us an attitude of gratitude. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

At times, it is difficult to manage the line between striving for more and appreciating and being content with what we already have.  How do we avoid stepping into the lane of covetousness?

Covetousness, in the Bible, is a sinful behavior in which there is an excessive desire for wealth, material possessions, power, and the possessions of others. This sinful behavior is often associated with greed and can lead to negative consequences such as envy, dishonesty, and even idolatry.

In the previous lesson, the tenth commandment in Exodus 20:17 states we should not covet.

The Bible provides an excellent story on covetousness in Joshua 7. The story begins with the Israelites crossing the Jordan River and entering the Promised Land. This was a significant moment in their history, marking the end of their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. They had a miraculous dryland crossing that impressed the heathen kings in Canaan. They crossed the Jordan River at its flood stage on dry land. This dry land experience was so impressive that it placed fear in Canaan’s heathen kings. Joshua tells us in Joshua 5:1 that the hearts of the Canaanite kings melted.

1 So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel. (Joshua 5:1)

The first real challenge after the crossing of the Jordan River came in Canaan at the wall of Jericho. No one knew what to do to overcome the people of Jericho. Even their leader Joshua did not know what to do. So he prayed, and in answer to Joshua’s prayer, God revealed the plan for the destruction of the city, which they followed exactly. But after this victory, things took a decidedly bad turn.

The next challenge didn’t go very well. In Joshua 7, we learn that the Israelites were to take the city of Ai after the victory at Jericho. But they suffered a really bad defeat.

Joshua was confused and questioned God to try to understand what happened. In response, God revealed that the defeat was due to the disobedience of one man, Achan, who Joshua confronts, according to Joshua 7:19 

Now Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I beg you, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” (Joshua 7: 19)

Once confronted, Achan admitted to disobeying God’s command not to take anything from the captured cities. In Joshua 6:18-19 God gave the Israelites the following instructions:

18 And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

19 But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.” (Joshua 6:18-19)

However, we find in Joshua 7:20-21 that Achan disobeyed God’s command.  

20 And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done:

21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.” (Joshua 7:20-21)

So, Achan admits saying that he had “coveted” the goods. 

It says in Patriarchs and Prophets that

To establish his guilt beyond all question, leaving no ground for the charge that he had been unjustly condemned, Joshua solemnly adjured Achan to acknowledge the truth. The wretched man made full confession of his crime saying: “Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel. . . . When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekel’s weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent.” . . .

Of the millions of Israelites, there was but one man who, in that solemn hour of triumph and of judgment, had dared to transgress the command of God. Achan’s covetousness was excited by the sight of that costly robe of Shinar; even when it had brought him face to face with death, he called it “a goodly Babylonish garment.” One sin had led to another, and he appropriated the gold and silver devoted to the treasury of the Lord—he robbed God of the first fruits of the land of Canaan.—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 495, 496.

Achan’s actions brought discredit not just upon himself but the entire Israel nation. This was Joshua’s point when he prayed to God, saying in Joshua 7:9

9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?” (Joshua 7:9)

Israel’s great victories were to let the surrounding nations see God’s power working among His people. Their conquests were to be a witness to the surrounding nations of Yahweh’s power. But, after the defeat at Ai, besides the loss of human life, their witness had been compromised.

Further reading of Joshua 7 reveals that Achan’s disobedience and sin of covetousness led to the entire destruction of him and his entire family.

We can learn from Achan’s story that even small actions have consequences that can lead to bigger problems down the road.

Yes, it can be tempting to justify our actions to fit our desires, but we must remember our values and principles.

We must have the courage to be honest and accountable for our actions, even when it’s difficult or uncomfortable.

We must pray for strength and clarity to remain steadfast in our values and principles and resist the temptation of rationalizing our actions to fit our desires.

Though we are saved by grace through our faith in Jesus, God requires our obedience. Therefore, we must always act in accordance with our faith in his word and the beliefs and values obtained from his word, the Bible, which is designed to help us remain honest and accountable for our actions.

In terms of covetousness, we are warned in the book, This Day with God that he or she who looks at earthly things as the chief good, who spends their life in an effort to gain worldly riches, is indeed making a poor investment.

Too late they will see that in which they have trusted crumbling into dust. It is only through self-denial, through the sacrifice of earthly riches, that the eternal riches can be obtained.—This Day With God, p. 152.

Covetousness is a serious problem that can keep us out of the kingdom of God. Another tragic story of covetousness is that of Judas. Find out more about this tragedy on Day 4, The Heart of Judas.

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