“From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.” Louis Blanc first used the expression in 1839, however, Karl Marx made the slogan popular. Bernie Sanders and his followers took this to heart with their demand for free college tuition rather than questioning the high cost of an education that often results in no employment or underemployment, free medical and more. As the iron lady of England once said, “Eventually you run out of other people’s money.” However, this does not keep those who covet from demanding more and more and protesting rather than praying to God for guidance.
Anything that we value above God is a form of idolatry. Here in America we’ve gone from the self-sufficiency of the greatest generation who defeated our enemies in World War II to a lackluster generation many of whom want an emotional safe place and covets what others have.
Exodus 20:17, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.”
It is my opinion that from covetousness comes the breaking of these additional commandments:
Exodus 20:13, “Thou shalt not kill.” Coveting a woman’s convenience over the life of an unborn baby.
Exodus 20:14, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” As the expression goes, “The grass is always greener over the septic tank.”
Exodus 20:15, “Thou shalt not steal.” Crime is rampant and often justified because someone has more.
Exodus 20:16, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” Currently, this has much to do with the allegations and counter allegations being made during the 2016 presidential election.
God reinforced the sin of coveting in Deuteronomy 5:21, “Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.”
Today Micah 2:2 is relevant, “And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.” As an aside, in a quotation from decades ago Ayn Rand is pretty much spot on today, “We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force.” [http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/ayn_rand.html]
Fast forward to the time of the New Testament and Paul. Romans 13:9, “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” God hates covetousness.
As for me, I will be very relieved when our presidential elections over next week. If Donald Trump is elected perhaps he can overcome the harm done to our country by the followers of Saul Alinsky. Some suggest that Trump may be our Cyrus. If Hillary Clinton is elected, words fail me.
Whatever direction our country takes, God is in charge, Psalm 2:4, “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.”
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