O.P.P. – Exodus 20:17; James 4:1-3

Exodus 20:17 – Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

James 4:1-3 – From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

In 1991, the New Jersey based rap trio Naughty by Nature (consisting of members Vinny, Treach, and Kay Gee) released their hit single, O.P.P. With the Jackson 5’s ABC sample as its foundation, the rapper Treach’s deft delivery, and a catchy hook (“You down with O.P.P.?/Yeah, you know me”), the song was an instant success.

It painted pictures of one-off trysts with the significant other of another person, hence O (Other), P (People’s), P (Partner). At base, the lyrics explored how people can be prone to the unchecked pursuit of an intimate encounter with someone else’s partner, assuming of course the other person is a willing participant.

While the song dealt with romantic interchanges, the sentiment is apropos in a myriad of circumstances. We are often guilty of desiring Other People’s:

- Position

- Power

- Prestige

- Personality

- Purpose

- Popularity

- Praise

- Prizes

The list could go on and on. Being in such a place can lead to frustration and torment if not properly addressed. Fortunately, the scriptures provide antidotes when we find ourselves in this mindset.

1. Don’t do it – Exodus 20:17 and James 4:1-3 are clear in their prohibitions against our inclinations towards unbridled desires towards what’s not for us.

2. Seek God’s Plan for YOUR life – 1 Corinthians 15:58 reminds us that busyness in the faithful and thorough pursuit of what God has placed in our hands leaves less time for longing for others’ possessions.

3. Pray for Peace and Contentment – Philippians 4:11-13 and 1 Timothy 6:6-11 are grounding scriptures than we can pray over our lives when struggling with contentment in our state.

It begins with recognizing that we are all naughty by nature (Psalm 51:5; Romans 7:18), therefore prone to coveting and desiring that which is not ours. This should lead to prayerful pursuit of what God has uniquely for us. When we begin to find our individual purpose(s), we have an increased likelihood at peace, prosperity, perfecting, purity, and pleasantness in our situation.

Reflection: Has this ever been an issue for you or negatively impacted you? How did you deal with it?