Paul writes that covetousness is idolatry. In other words, we create idols to satisfy our greed. Historically, this happens when the stewards of an institution begin to run it for their benefit instead of for the reason it was created. In Israel, the priests turned the Temple into an idol by using it to enrich themselves. When this happened, God destroyed His own temple. Today, government has been turned into an idol operated to enrich those who are supposed to be its stewards.