Day 10 - You Shall Not Covet

What’s yours is mine and what’s mine is mine.

To what then will I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?

There was a man who was known for his great possessions. He was a man of great renown and acclaim, always looking at his neighbor's house.

One day, Jacob's neighbor invited him over for dinner. Jacob was excited to finally see his neighbor's house from the inside, and he eagerly accepted the invitation. As he entered the house, he was amazed at how beautiful and spacious it was. He looked around and saw all of his neighbor's possessions, including his wife.

But as the evening went on and they ate and merrily drank, Jacob began to feel uneasy. He realized that his neighbor had to work long hours and put in a lot of effort to afford all of these possessions. He also noticed that his neighbor's wife seemed unhappy and distant, despite her beauty.

As he started towards the door to leave his neighbor's house that night, Jacob realized that all of his envy and desire for his neighbor's possessions had been in vain. He didn’t want his neighbor's life. He didn’t know his neighbor's life.

Jacob then turned to say goodbye and a sharp pain grabbed at his throat. Horror befell him. What was happening? He gasped for air but could not breath. Desperate, he panickingly flailed his hands toward his neighbor and wife. Help me. He desired to say. But they only stood there. Watching. Waiting for him to die. And soon, smiles crept over the couple's face.

They had another follower.

Reflection:

Who is your neighbor? Do you admire them, want anything which belongs to them? Is the grass always greener?

Practice:

Find a way to speak to a neighbor today.