Even in an age of e-mail, God's law still guides us. Follow this imaginary conversation between a granddaughter and grandfather that shows us how God's law applies to all generations.

The Ninth Commandment:
You shall not covet your neighbor's house.

What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we do not scheme to get our neighbor's inheritance or house or obtain it by false claims, but do all we can to help him keep it.

The Tenth Commandment:
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his workers or his animals or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we do not force or entice away from our neighbor his wife, workers or animals, but urge them to stay and do their duty.

Dear Grandpa,
I think I created a monster. Remember my friend Samantha has been coming to worship with me? She's even attending the pastor's membership class. I'm excited with how a relationship with Jesus has transformed Sam. She is happier, kinder, and wants to live every minute for Jesus. But that has also made her kind of a nuisance.

Last week we went shopping for formal dresses. Our school's spring festival is coming up, and we're double dating. I fell in love with a gold, floor length dress. It had a strapless shoulder, a gold satin strap that tied . . . sorry, Grandpa, you don't need to know the girls' stuff. But the dress was way more than what I had to spend. In the next week I probably told Sam how much I want that dress a dozen times. That's when Sam said, "Denali, you're coveting."

Drooling over a dress can't be coveting, can it, Grandpa? What do I say to Samantha to straighten her out?

I love you,
Denali

Dear Denali:
Samantha is turning into a wonderful friend for you. Don't let that hint of Frankenstein throw you off, especially because Sam has a point. She's been paying close attention to her Savior's Word.

Coveting is wanting anything that belongs to another. It's a sin because wanting what God has given to another is sniping: "God, I deserve more than what you have given me."

Coveting is also a gateway sin. Alcohol and marijuana can be gateways to more addicting and more destructive drugs. Coveting is a gateway to sins that leap from our minds to be acted out in our lives. In fact, every sin we commit starts with coveting. Some say that's why God gave two commandments to warn against it.