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This teaching urges us to not fall into the trap of being envious of others, even in our conversations, because we will soon become discontented with the blessings that the Lord has given us. It is a breach of the 10^th Commandment God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai.  “Thou Shalt not covet thy neighbours house: thou shalt not covert thy neighbours wife, nor his man servant, nor his maidservant, not his ox nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbours.”

A recently retired head of New Scotland yard observed that over the years, a major number of crimes committed stemmed from the breach of this commandment, and then led onto violent acts, theft, adultery, lies, murder etc. because of discontentment with their own blessings.

The Bible records that the whole generation of His people, the Jewish Nation, did not enter into the promised land because they were not contented with the many blessings God had given them. The safe passage, manna from heaven, water when it was needed, victory in battles, and so many blessings. Down through the ages we read of kingdoms destroyed because of the desire to take from their neighbours even though they were blessed in other ways.

Discontentment will always create a miserable attitude as we focus on what others have and forget what God has done for us. Comparing will always leave us feeling left out, rejected – short changed and negative, and even critical. When our thoughts are moved to covetousness, we should immediately be moved by the words in Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 

On a lighter side of things, to support our text, I read of a tourist guide who reported on a trip in a third world country with a group to an area where hot and cold springs are found side by side. The local women boil their clothes in the hot springs, and then rinse them in the cold springs. A tourist commented that they should be happy that God has provided side by side blessings and all free of charge. One of the women replied, “Not really, because soap is not provided, and we have heard that in other parts of the world there are machines that do this work!”

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians about his own life lessons – Philippians 4:11 “Now that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatever state I am there-with to be content.”