I Want That
Year C, Third Sunday after Pentecost.
Scripture: 1 Kings 21:1-21a, 2 Samuel 11:26-12:15
Those of you who are liturgically inclined may know that we're in "the season after Pentecost". This, and the season after Epiphany, are considered "ordinary time". "Ordinary time" just means we're not in a special fast or feast time like Advent, Christmas, Lent, or Easter.
The lectionary is a set of readings on a three year cycle. Many churches use the lectionary to determine what scripture will be read each week; some, like Hope, don't always follow the lectionary.
In ordinary time, the lectionary ordinarily provides two sets of old testament readings: one that follows the scripture in the order it appears in the Bible, and another that chooses readings based on harmony with the new testament theme.
Ordinarily, only one old testament reading is used.
Ordinarily, the two old testament choices do not line up.
But this is no ordinary church, we are no ordinary people, and this is no ordinary set of readings.
Scripture: 1 Kings 21:1-21a, 2 Samuel 11:26-12:15
Those of you who are liturgically inclined may know that we're in "the season after Pentecost". This, and the season after Epiphany, are considered "ordinary time". "Ordinary time" just means we're not in a special fast or feast time like Advent, Christmas, Lent, or Easter.
The lectionary is a set of readings on a three year cycle. Many churches use the lectionary to determine what scripture will be read each week; some, like Hope, don't always follow the lectionary.
In ordinary time, the lectionary ordinarily provides two sets of old testament readings: one that follows the scripture in the order it appears in the Bible, and another that chooses readings based on harmony with the new testament theme.
Ordinarily, only one old testament reading is used.
Ordinarily, the two old testament choices do not line up.
But this is no ordinary church, we are no ordinary people, and this is no ordinary set of readings.
In these two readings, we have examples of people who want something. And they get what they want. I want to give you the backstory on the 2 Samuel text. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, King David sees Bathsheeba bathing, sends for her, sleeps with her, and she becomes pregnant. David tries to get the woman's husband, Uriah, to go home so he will sleep with her, but Uriah does not. Unable to cover his tracks this way, David sends Uriah to the front line in the war so he will be killed. After Uriah dies and after Bathsheeba has finished mourning, David marries Bathsheeba.
At this point, I'd like to ask:
"What commandments are being referenced in these two stories, kept or broken?"
[ ] No other gods before me Exodus 20:3, Deuteronomy 5:7
[ ] No idols Exodus 20:4-6, Deuteronomy 5:8-10
[ ]Don't use God's name wrongfully Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11
[ ] Keep the Sabbath Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-15
[X] Honor mother and father Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16 - Naboth keeps this
[X] Do not murder Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17 - Jezebel and David break this
[X] Do not commit adultery Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 5:18 - David breaks this
[X] Do not steal Exodus 20:15, Deuteronomy 5:19 - Jezebel breaks this
[X] Do not bear false witness Exodus 20:16, Deuteronomy 5:20 - Jezebel breaks this
[X] Do not covet Exodus 20:17, Deuteronomy 5:21 - Ahab and David break this
Over the millennia, there has been a lot of discussion about that tenth commandment: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female servant, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
The first nine are actions - things people actually do - but the tenth is about what goes on in our heads. What harm comes from thinking "I want that"? Why does God place desire on the same level as murder?
Part of the resistance, at least for me, is that I often desire something that someone else has. It just pops into my head. I don't want to be the equivalent of a murderer for something that I didn't actually do.
Is God condemning thought crime?
This isn't just an old testament issue. Jesus tells us that if we hate our neighbors, we have committed murder in our hearts; and if we lust after someone's spouse, we have committed adultery in our hearts.
What is going on here?
To covet something that belongs to someone else is not the same as wanting something like what they have. It's not about keeping up with the Joneses (although we can argue about whether that's a health obsession as well). To covet means we want a unique item that someone else has. One of us will have it, and one of us will not.
And it's not just wives, servants, houses or livestock that we covet. It may be that position at the company, or that status in a social group, or getting people to do things our way. It may be the natural resources of another land, or the power of a government.
The problem with covetousness is not in the wanting.
The problem with covetousness is in the way it changes our relationships.
In fact, of the broken commandments we listed, the first commandment broken was the tenth commandment about covetousness, which led to the breaking of the other commandments.
When what we want becomes more important than our relationships, we can make some very bad choices. We see Jezebel stealing land by bearing false witness to have Naboth murdered. Sure, Jezebel could say she wasn't the one who actually gave the false testimony and didn't kill Naboth herself and, well, if he's dead it's not really stealing the land. Is it? Ahab still got the land after Naboth was killed because of false testimony ordered by Jezebel in Ahab's name.
We see David committing adultery, then - after failing to cover it up - sending Uriah to his death. Sure, David didn't personally kill Uriah, but didn't he intend for Uriah to die?
Likewise, we can engage in some pretty nasty behavior when we want something. Do we start whisper campaigns against our rivals? Do we sabotage their work - even if only by failing to cooperate and help? Do we make enemies out of our family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers because we want what they have?
And even before we do these things, what have we done? We have damaged our relationships with each other. And we have broken another commandment:
"Love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus is recorded in Matthew 22:39 as having said this. In Luke 10:27, it's a lawyer who says this in reply to Jesus. And it's first recorded in Leviticus 19:18.
When we start to think "I want that", it's time to start ask ourselves "at what cost?" The cost is not only in dollars and cents. What we want may come at the cost of our relationships with others.
"What will I have to do to get that?"
"What am I willing to do to get that?"
"Who am I willing to hurt to get that?"
These are the questions we may wish to ask ourselves. If we are honest, we will sometimes see that what we want is not worth losing the relationships we have.
And, when we have already strayed into covetousness, we can work to undo the damage. We can recognize that our love for each other is more important, and seek to renew and strengthen our relationships.
In many ways, we are ordinary people. We want the things that others have.
But we are called to go beyond ordinary, to be the extraordinary people who value love above material.
A loving relationship with my neighbor?
I want that.
At this point, I'd like to ask:
"What commandments are being referenced in these two stories, kept or broken?"
[ ] No other gods before me Exodus 20:3, Deuteronomy 5:7
[ ] No idols Exodus 20:4-6, Deuteronomy 5:8-10
[ ]Don't use God's name wrongfully Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11
[ ] Keep the Sabbath Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-15
[X] Honor mother and father Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16 - Naboth keeps this
[X] Do not murder Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17 - Jezebel and David break this
[X] Do not commit adultery Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 5:18 - David breaks this
[X] Do not steal Exodus 20:15, Deuteronomy 5:19 - Jezebel breaks this
[X] Do not bear false witness Exodus 20:16, Deuteronomy 5:20 - Jezebel breaks this
[X] Do not covet Exodus 20:17, Deuteronomy 5:21 - Ahab and David break this
Over the millennia, there has been a lot of discussion about that tenth commandment: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female servant, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
The first nine are actions - things people actually do - but the tenth is about what goes on in our heads. What harm comes from thinking "I want that"? Why does God place desire on the same level as murder?
Part of the resistance, at least for me, is that I often desire something that someone else has. It just pops into my head. I don't want to be the equivalent of a murderer for something that I didn't actually do.
Is God condemning thought crime?
This isn't just an old testament issue. Jesus tells us that if we hate our neighbors, we have committed murder in our hearts; and if we lust after someone's spouse, we have committed adultery in our hearts.
What is going on here?
To covet something that belongs to someone else is not the same as wanting something like what they have. It's not about keeping up with the Joneses (although we can argue about whether that's a health obsession as well). To covet means we want a unique item that someone else has. One of us will have it, and one of us will not.
And it's not just wives, servants, houses or livestock that we covet. It may be that position at the company, or that status in a social group, or getting people to do things our way. It may be the natural resources of another land, or the power of a government.
The problem with covetousness is not in the wanting.
The problem with covetousness is in the way it changes our relationships.
In fact, of the broken commandments we listed, the first commandment broken was the tenth commandment about covetousness, which led to the breaking of the other commandments.
When what we want becomes more important than our relationships, we can make some very bad choices. We see Jezebel stealing land by bearing false witness to have Naboth murdered. Sure, Jezebel could say she wasn't the one who actually gave the false testimony and didn't kill Naboth herself and, well, if he's dead it's not really stealing the land. Is it? Ahab still got the land after Naboth was killed because of false testimony ordered by Jezebel in Ahab's name.
We see David committing adultery, then - after failing to cover it up - sending Uriah to his death. Sure, David didn't personally kill Uriah, but didn't he intend for Uriah to die?
Likewise, we can engage in some pretty nasty behavior when we want something. Do we start whisper campaigns against our rivals? Do we sabotage their work - even if only by failing to cooperate and help? Do we make enemies out of our family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers because we want what they have?
And even before we do these things, what have we done? We have damaged our relationships with each other. And we have broken another commandment:
"Love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus is recorded in Matthew 22:39 as having said this. In Luke 10:27, it's a lawyer who says this in reply to Jesus. And it's first recorded in Leviticus 19:18.
When we start to think "I want that", it's time to start ask ourselves "at what cost?" The cost is not only in dollars and cents. What we want may come at the cost of our relationships with others.
"What will I have to do to get that?"
"What am I willing to do to get that?"
"Who am I willing to hurt to get that?"
These are the questions we may wish to ask ourselves. If we are honest, we will sometimes see that what we want is not worth losing the relationships we have.
And, when we have already strayed into covetousness, we can work to undo the damage. We can recognize that our love for each other is more important, and seek to renew and strengthen our relationships.
In many ways, we are ordinary people. We want the things that others have.
But we are called to go beyond ordinary, to be the extraordinary people who value love above material.
A loving relationship with my neighbor?
I want that.
