Coveting Leads to Death

“‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.’” Exodus 20:17 NKJV

In a tragic update to a story posted earlier this week, it was reported that Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who was set on fire after a horrifying attack by a former boyfriend on Sunday, died yesterday. Cheptegei, a 33-year-old marathon runner who had just competed at the Paris Olympics, suffered extensive burns from the assault. Dr. Owen Benach, the senior director of clinical services at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, told the New York Times that Cheptegei died on Thursday due to “multiple organ failure.” She was being treated at the hospital and had burns on 80 percent of her body.The attack occurred at Cheptegei’s home in Endebess, a town in western Kenya, where she had been training. Neighbors rescued Cheptegei after the attack, which happened as she was returning home from church with her two children. Her attacker, an ex-boyfriend of Cheptegei, also sustained burns during the incident and will be charged with murder upon medical release, local police chief Jeremiah Ole Kosiom told the press. “The couple were heard quarreling outside their house,” Kosiom told the BBC. “During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her.” Cheptegei, originally from Uganda, purchased land in the town and built a house to be closer to Kenya’s athletic training facilities. A police report says the dispute was about the ownership of the land.

And, you know, as this story clearly shows, yearning to possess or have something that someone else has or owns can have disastrous consequences for everyone  involved. Which is the very reason God explicitly forbade the Israelites from coveting (or being consumed with desire for) anything that belonged to their neighbor. Kevin DeYoung explains why coveting is so deadly in this way, “Because it can never be satiated. Coveting relentlessly craves more of this world; and a person’s thoughts, affections, and heart occupied with the world will cease seeking heaven. It forsakes love for God and disposes one to hate their neighbor. Coveting pulls the heart down into the pit of self-seeking and the muck and mire of envy, slander, adultery, pride, dishonor, murder, thievery, and idolatry. It has rightly been said that when we break any of the first nine commandments, we also break the tenth commandment.”

So vow to be always content with what you have my friend, giving thanks to God for giving it. Seek Christ first each and every day—and then trust that He will continue to provide all that you need (not all that you want, hence the reason to be content) so you won’t fall into the deadly sin of covetousness. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us of the many reasons why coveting is such a deadly sin. Lord, please help us to recognize when we aren’t in a state of peaceful happiness about what we do have so we can repent and not go after the things we don’t have and fall into sin. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!