Is Coveting a Virtue?

As I read the scripture for today's Ashes to Fire devotion (Week 4, Monday), I couldn't help but stop and ponder Romans 7:7 (the Message).

"Apart from the succinct, surgical command, "You shall not covet," I could have dressed covetousness up to look like a virtue and ruined my life with it."

Question:

Do I dress up covetousness to look like a virtue?

Isn't it a virtue to want good things?

Isn't it good to have dreams? Like, that personally designed, custom made house with room to spare?

Isn't it a virtue to droll over my neighbors' "Car" or "Truck" or "iPad" or "_______"?

Isn't it a virtue to want more out of life?

As I ponder these questions, I wonder, 'What does it mean to 'covet', anyway?

To Covet: "to inordinately, perhaps wrongfully wish for, long for, deeply desire some object".

Then I had to look up 'inordinate'

Inordinate: "beyond the boundaries of what is proper and reasonable, unrestrained in conduct".

So to covet then means: 'to long or desire for something in an unrestrained manner'.

Hmmm... so do those countless hours of looking at toy catalogues as a child fit into the 'coveting' category?

As I said earlier, 'it makes me stop and ponder.'

We live in a culture, that thrives on, is built on, and survives on consumerism. If we stop buying, the economy will collapse. Yet, if we buy, buy, buy and buy we will go bankrupt, resulting in a collapsing economy.

How much is enough? How might we cease coveting and live within proper restraint? And then again who defines what is proper and improper restraint?

Signing off... I would love for you to enter the conversation; "What do you think?"