p. 175 | Thou Shalt not Covet by Max. H. A. Crouch

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 17, 1870

Thou Shalt not Covet.

By Max. H. A. Crouch

To COVET, in the sense of the text, is earnestly to desire that which belongs to another. How many who learned the tenth commandment in childhood seem to have forgotten it in maturer years. Many a man, like Ahab, desires Naboth’s vineyard, because it is so near unto his house; and many a woman has an eye on her neighbor’s hired girl, notwithstanding the commandment says so particularly: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s . . . maid-servant,” “nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.” How exceeding broad the command! This does away with debt; for that must be an inordinate desire which would lead one to take goods or property from his neighbor when he has no equivalent to give; and contrary to the spirit of the commandment which says, “Be content with such things as ye have; for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” “Who can tell how many times the dear children of God fail to receive the provident care, and miss seeing his miraculous dealings with them, because as soon as they come to be in straitened places, instead of trusting in the Lord, and giving him a chance to help them, they set about helping themselves; and that too in a way not wholly scriptural. What necessity would there be for God to send the ravens with bread and meat to those, who, in their need, choose rather to run up a bill at the bakery and meat market?”

I suppose St. Paul’s credit was good enough, and yet when his clothes became threadbare, or, what is more probable, quite worn out, he did not order a new suit and have them “charged,” for he tells us he served the Lord at times “in cold and nakedness.”

Cheer up, fellow-pilgrim on your way to Zion, and raise your voice still higher as you sing,

“The way the holy prophets went,” etc.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s gift. God made thee a foot, perhaps. What right hast thou, then, to envy the eye, and think because thou canst not see like it, far into the future, and prophesy of things to come, or cast thy keen glance through to the throne, that therefore thou hast cause to mourn? Be content to move in the dust. The body moves with thee.

So if thou canst not sing that sweet song of faith; if thou canst not lift thy hand and see the electric shock of God’s power come down, causing the door-posts to move, and the pillars to tremble; if thou canst not utter thy voice as the voice of God, or wear Moses’ shining face, the command is still the same. God does not say thou shalt be content with thy destitution and poverty, though he does say, “Thou shalt not covet.”

And there is no need, bless God!—we need not sin by coveting our neighbor’s blessing. There is just as much in store for us, waiting our asking—Heaven is full, and God never designed the angels should have it all, and his poor, buffeted, tempted children on this earth go destitute. No; bless his name! Hold your vessel to the fountain. Drink of the river of his pleasure. Yes, come and drink. The holy waters issue out from under the threshold of the sanctuary, and if we will follow the angel, he will take us down a thousand cubits, and we will find the waters to our ankles. If we will follow him, he will take us down another thousand, and bring us through. We shall find the waters to the knees. If we will follow him he will measure another thousand, and bring us through, and we shall find the waters risen; waters to swim in; a river that cannot be passed over. No; we need not covet. God says, “Thou shalt not covet.”—Max. H. A. CROUCH, in Earnest Christian.