#ten-commandments

Michael Shermer

“Coveting” begins in a discontented heart.  We see greener grass in our neighbors’ yard, and we assume they have a better life.  This inner emptiness robs us of the joy we might otherwise find in our own yard.  A blessed life requires that we realize that we are always blessed, even when we don’t feel like it.

Telling lies in court is still a crime, even in our culture.  In God’s court, however, it is more than criminal.  It reveals a morally corrupt environment where the rich and powerful take advantage of those who cannot afford justice.  A blessed life, however, requires us always to ensure that truth is spoken when people are held accountable.    

The war between haves and have nots is historically waged in every culture.  Broken cultures find it easier to take from one another rather than share with one another.  This addiction to things is an infection that is hard to cure. A blessed life, however, requires the opposite from us, to love one another rather than take from one another.

When sex is taken out of its God-ordained context of love, brokenness occurs in many forms.  When God created the human reproductive process, He intended sexual partners to remain committed to one another, so that children produced from their union could be raised in a context of love.  A blessed life requires us to honor the important role that love plays in our desire for intimacy.

Murder is the extreme case, when one person assumes the right to take another human life. Jesus teaches us that murder is born out of hate, and neither have a place in His world.  A blessed life requires us to avoid the destructive power of hatred.

People have changed in many ways, but families still form a core part of all cultures.  God’s story regularly works through families, and He expects people to honor that work.  A blessed life requires a respect for the roles of both children and parents.

We humans naturally divide our lives into sacred and secular categories, and sometimes these aspects remain separated.  God instituted the Sabbath, however, to ensure that His people continually kept Him first in their hearts and minds.  A blessed life requires us to live every day in the sacred presence of our Holy and Loving God.