15 “You shall not steal."
This should seem obvious, and the things I did not work for and those things that God has blessed another man with, do not belong to me. Even men, who say that God does not exist and that there is therefore no right or wrong, are quick to use words like "mine" or "stolen". Whole countries will even in the name of religion enter another's land to gain control of their resources. I have had bosses that wish to renegotiate my agreed upon pay once the time has come for them to pay. The money is still in their hand and so they feel a right to it. When I was younger I did not want a God of ultimate good or authority, and so while others could wrong me, I felt that moral views of stealing were relative, and that it was more a matter of whether you got caught. There is an emotional argument here too, and that I hear often in the defense of those who steal or sin in any manner. What about the man who is starving? What about when you need to feed your children? What about the boss who cheats you? Well, the law upholds the letter. Men do not despise a thief if he steals To satisfy himself when he is hungry; But when he is found, he must repay seven fold; He must give all the substance of his house. Proverbs 6:30&31
As a Christian, I cannot just stop there, and while I may learn to feel satisfied with the things I have, it has often been easy for me to turn my back on those who are in need. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.…1 John 3:16-18. I have so often, in my heart, passed judgment upon the person holding up the sign for food, and one day my daughter made the comment, "he is just trying to get money for drugs." I told her I was going to turn around so that she could hold his sign for him, and changed my mind when when we approached, because I had thought similar things when I saw him, and she was in tears. She may have been right by default, and a man should work for his food, but if I don't take the time to know him, then how can I judge where he's at. What if he was recently fired for doing the right thing? What if he is really hungry and his children are hungry, and he is a drug addict? I have been a poor steward of the things that God has given me, ungrateful and yet quick to judge. God, I beg you, please give me the sincerity that leads to true compassion, for those who are starving, both physically and Spiritually. My stuff no longer belongs to me, but to God and He is a God that would have His children show mercy.
This should seem obvious, and the things I did not work for and those things that God has blessed another man with, do not belong to me. Even men, who say that God does not exist and that there is therefore no right or wrong, are quick to use words like "mine" or "stolen". Whole countries will even in the name of religion enter another's land to gain control of their resources. I have had bosses that wish to renegotiate my agreed upon pay once the time has come for them to pay. The money is still in their hand and so they feel a right to it. When I was younger I did not want a God of ultimate good or authority, and so while others could wrong me, I felt that moral views of stealing were relative, and that it was more a matter of whether you got caught. There is an emotional argument here too, and that I hear often in the defense of those who steal or sin in any manner. What about the man who is starving? What about when you need to feed your children? What about the boss who cheats you? Well, the law upholds the letter. Men do not despise a thief if he steals To satisfy himself when he is hungry; But when he is found, he must repay seven fold; He must give all the substance of his house. Proverbs 6:30&31
As a Christian, I cannot just stop there, and while I may learn to feel satisfied with the things I have, it has often been easy for me to turn my back on those who are in need. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.…1 John 3:16-18. I have so often, in my heart, passed judgment upon the person holding up the sign for food, and one day my daughter made the comment, "he is just trying to get money for drugs." I told her I was going to turn around so that she could hold his sign for him, and changed my mind when when we approached, because I had thought similar things when I saw him, and she was in tears. She may have been right by default, and a man should work for his food, but if I don't take the time to know him, then how can I judge where he's at. What if he was recently fired for doing the right thing? What if he is really hungry and his children are hungry, and he is a drug addict? I have been a poor steward of the things that God has given me, ungrateful and yet quick to judge. God, I beg you, please give me the sincerity that leads to true compassion, for those who are starving, both physically and Spiritually. My stuff no longer belongs to me, but to God and He is a God that would have His children show mercy.
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