When the Grass looks Greener
““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.””
Have you ever heard the saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side”? It speaks to how often we look at what we don’t have instead of being grateful for what we do. As a mens pastor, I see this so often in the area of lust. Lust is deceptive. It will never provide an honest vision of what you crave. Jesus states in Matthew 5:27-28,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
What is Jesus saying here? It is not enough to abstain from adultery, but you and I are commanded to abstain from wanting adultery. You shall not lust is his command.
Throughout the sermon on the mount, you’ll see moments where Jesus points out the teachers of the law’s interpretation of the commands of God. He does this by saying, “You have heard that it was said…” Jesus is quoting the religious leader’s interpretation. He follows that up by correcting and interpreting what the command is really about. For example, “But I tell you…”
This is what astounds the crowds at the end of the sermon on the mount. That he teaches as one who has authority because he does have authority!
You might think that these verses are about the command in Exodus which states, “You shall not commit adultery.” Yet verse 28 is written in the same wording as the tenth command, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife… or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Jesus is speaking not just against adultery, although he is most certainly doing that, he is using it as an illustration for a deeper issue. Coveting is an issue in our hearts, it is lusting after what is not ours.
Lust is not something that is simply confined to sex. We crave what isn’t ours all the time. I will confess this to you now, I have coveted other pastor’s ministry opportunities. I have coveted other leaders’ speaking and preaching opportunities. I have coveted my neighbors' houses, cars, and pets. I have coveted lifestyles of travel and wealth.
When we lust after that which isn’t ours we commit adultery on that which God has given to us.
I remember hearing Craig Groeschel speak one time and he said it so simply, “If the grass looks greener somewhere else, it's time to water your own yard.” Most people, in their lust, attempt to trade away what they have been given by God so that they can satisfy themselves with what’s not theirs. The problem when we do that is that the same result happens. Eventually, the lawn dies, and other yards start to look better. Why? Because we didn’t invest, encourage and work on what God has given us. This is what stewardship is. That we invest, encourage, and work with what the Lord has provided us.
He goes on to say, “If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right-hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”
Jesus is talking in hyperbole here, he’s not saying go and cut off your hand. Why? Because if you remove your hand or gouge out your eye that doesn’t solve the temptation, it doesn’t solve the lust or the heart issue. In Matthew 23:25-26, Jesus talks about how it is not about having an external righteousness but rather an internal righteousness. So what is he saying? He’s saying do everything in your power to keep lust far from your heart. The only way to do that is through the power of God, by his Holy Spirit whom he offers to us as an advocate freely!
This is the good news, that we have a God who will help us in our time of need and will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. He will provide a way for you to follow him!
My friend, Kevin Thompson, wrote a fantastic book recently called Stay in Your Lane, and the synopsis of the book is essentially this: Know what’s ours, Know what’s theirs, Know what’s God’s. If you and I can steward what’s ours, celebrate what’s theirs, and honor what’s God’s we will live a much freer life. Steward what you have been given, celebrate what your neighbor has, and submit to God what is his by right.
Bibliography
stay in your lane, Kevin Thompson
Instagram Post, Craig Groeschel
NIV Culturals Background Study Bible
