The commandments are arranged in order of importance, and this one is less crucial than honoring others, than preserving their lives, and than preserving their families and relational happiness. That much is clear. But though this commandment is less important, it is still important — important enough to be listed in the ten commandments. Our culture has many things right about this commandment; but as usual, the world's understanding of the commandment gets some major things wrong. We tend to think that whatever is legal is also moral, but the laws of the state do not forbid the greed that seeks to amass wealth for its own sake, instead of for the sake of fulfilling our callings from God. The other error we make with property is to treat it as something absolute, instead of something relative. We are owners only in a certain sense; as creatures and slaves of God, we are better understood as stewards, taking care of what God has granted to us but holding it for Him, not for ourselves. Because the world belongs to Christ, this commandment requires all lawful endeavors to procure, preserve, and further our own and our neighbors' outward estate.