Do not covet is fine to say. Certainly, it is good advice. But it misses the issue. Only from sense of lack does covetousness arise.
When sense of lack is replaced with awareness of plenty, covetousness is replaced with generosity. Needing and giving are but two sides of the same coin. You may need to be instructed in awareness of the wealth that is yours.
Who would grab when he sees there is enough to go around? When he sees abundance spilling over, what would he feel denied about? What would he possibly want to draw to himself and not to another?
Even a candy bar kept to yourself lacks joy, for keeping to yourself deprives you. Break the candy bar in two, and you set something wonderful in motion. Do not deprive another of what you have, and you will be full, and life will be sweet.
Hoarding is covetousness. It is an announcement of importune poverty. You even covet what is already clearly yours.
But if you must covet, then covet Me. The moment you grasp Me, you will give Me away. There is no help for it. The minute you notice I rise in your heart, you can only pump Me into others' hearts. It is impossible for Me to be hoarded.
When you swim in a beautiful ocean, you do not covet it. You say, Come in. The water is fine.
No one wants to keep the ocean to himself.
No one wants to keep joy to himself. Kept to himself, joy is half-joy. Kept to himself, joy is thwarted.
Do not mix up desire with coveting. If you are not certain which is which, then desire to share.
Sense of strength brings peace. Sense of weakness brings turmoil. Covet strength then.
If you find you still covet what your neighbor seems to possess, then imagine yourself a King who bequeaths the very same to your neighbor. Picture yourself giving your neighbor his beautiful land and his beautiful wife and his beautiful sons and daughters and his beautiful friends and his beautiful talents. Give them and bless them to your neighbor. Oh, yes, you will feel rich. You will find your heart growing to its natural size.
If your neighbor has more than you, bless him to have ten times more.
If your child has left his frail body, bless every child to health and a long life. Such a gift from you holds vast power.
If your limbs are cut, bless every man to four limbs.
If your heart aches, bless every heart to happiness.
If you are uncomfortable, bless everyone to ease.
If you are war-torn, bless everyone to peace.
If your skin is mottled, bless everyone to clear skin.
If you are hungry, bless everyone with food plentiful.
If you are thirsty, bless everyone with streaming water.
If you feel unhappy, bless everyone to happiness.
If you feel ignorant, bless everyone to knowledge.
If you feel ungainly, bless everyone to poise.
If your purse is empty, bless everyone's purse to overflowing.
And when your table is full, invite a guest.
When your table is empty, picture yourself giving food to the hungry.
Whatever you have, share.
Whatever you have not, give in your heart by the bushels.
This is the only way to live. To give is the only way to live. You are for giving.
Forgive anyone who has more than you, and forgive those who have less.
Forgive yourself for having more than another, and forgive yourself for having less.
Nothing is yours, and everything is yours.
Give everything away. Dispossess yourself of the hold the material has on you. House it, but do not clasp it. Free yourself from want.