What Do I Covet?

Philippians 4:17  "Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that is increasing to your account."

Paul is giving thanks to the church at Philippi for their material support of him as a missionary.  Paul had given himself fully to preaching the Gospel and, in doing so, had chosen to be fully dependent and reliant upon the generosity and giving of others to support his material needs.

As with many missionaries who rely on others, the details of where Paul's earthly provision would come from was probably never far from the forefront of his mind.  When you do not have a steady, predictable stream of financial support, it is hard to not think about or worry where it will come from. 

But Paul makes an amazingly insightful statement about what he truly covets from the Philippians.  Rather than wanting the gift itself, which no doubt was vitally important for fulfilling his current needs, he covets the Spirit which is motivating them to provide those gifts and the fruit that displays itself as a result of being obedient to the Spirit.  Although money, food, clothing, shelter, etc. in times of need are great to have, he was able to see beyond his current circumstances and recognize that having the Spirit inside of us display Itself through generously supporting those who work to expand God's Kingdom is the real gift.

Paul didn't covet the Philippians' wealth, but rather their submission to the Spirit that motivated them to give their wealth away.  Ask yourself an honest, truthful, private question- would I rather have wealth or the Spirit that would motivate me to give all my wealth away?