1 Kings 21:1-5: a reflection

1After these things, Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near my house; and I will give you for it a better vineyard than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.” 3Naboth said to Ahab, “May the LORD forbid me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!” 4Ahab came into his house sullen and angry because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He laid himself down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. 5But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, “Why is your spirit so sad that you eat no bread?”

King Ahab wants a vineyard belonging to a man named Naboth, which lies near his palace. He offers to buy it or trade for it; but Naboth refuses, because it is his family inheritance, which he is not to sell. And Ahab's response is telling: he goes home sullen and angry, lies down on his bed, turns his face to the wall, and will not eat. A king with a whole kingdom sulks like a child over one vineyard he cannot have.

Notice the misery of Ahab's covetousness. He had a kingdom, a palace, wealth, everything; yet he could not enjoy any of it, so consumed was he with brooding over the one thing he could not have. His covetous heart fixated on the single vineyard that was denied him, and it poisoned his enjoyment of all he possessed. He was made wretched, not by lacking much, but by wanting the one thing he could not have.

That is a picture of what covetousness does to us. Covetousness fixates on what we lack, on the one thing we cannot have, and poisons our enjoyment of all we do have. We can be surrounded by blessings, and yet be made miserable, like Ahab, by brooding over the one thing denied us, unable to enjoy our many gifts for wanting the one we cannot have. Guard your heart against covetousness. Do not let your desire fixate on the one thing you cannot have, poisoning your enjoyment of the many things you do have. Learn contentment, giving thanks for what God has given rather than sulking over what he has withheld. Ahab's kingdom could not make him happy while he coveted one vineyard; do not let covetousness rob you, in the same way, of the joy of all your blessings.

Lord, King Ahab, with a whole kingdom, sulked and would not eat because he could not have one vineyard that was not his to take; his covetous heart fixated on the one thing denied him, and poisoned his enjoyment of all he possessed. Show me what covetousness does to me. Covetousness fixates on what I lack, on the one thing I cannot have, and poisons my enjoyment of all I do have. I can be surrounded by blessings, and yet be made miserable, like Ahab, by brooding over the one thing denied me, unable to enjoy my many gifts for wanting the one I cannot have. Guard my heart against covetousness. Keep my desire from fixating on the one thing I cannot have, poisoning my enjoyment of the many things I do have. Teach me contentment, giving thanks for what you have given rather than sulking over what you have withheld. Ahab's kingdom could not make him happy while he coveted one vineyard; do not let covetousness rob me, in the same way, of the joy of all my blessings. Give me a content and grateful heart.