Thievery….Do We Steal?

“Thou Shalt Not Steal.”  Genesis 20:15…….  That’s it??

 God didn’t elaborate on just what He meant.  No wonder the rabbis spend a lifetime contemplating this command.  Sounds so simple, doesn’t it?   Why, we know what it means…… don’t take something that doesn’t belong to us!!

I certainly haven’t spent my lifetime trying to figure this out.  But I do know this……there is more to this command than we read in those four words.

Thievery does involve our usual concept of stealing something from others.  But what else?

Think about this: Stealing is not limited to taking a tangible object.  It could be the theft of time, energy or attention that rightfully belongs to someone else……perhaps our family or husbands.

 It’s easy to steal from God when it comes to times invested in His work or activities.  We rarely give time to God or even think about Him during our busy day.  This is a type of stealing…..taking away from Him what rightfully belongs to Him. This is our time and devotion.  Don’t count your church attendance in this.  That’s easy because it is a matter of habit.

Giving sacrificially, doesn’t always mean money either.  What about taking time from something we would rather do and simply spending more time with God….perhaps giving up your favorite TV show. Or like me…..shopping on the internet!

Of course we must care for our family, our friends, and even ourselves. This is all part of our work as Christians.  We show our love to God by how we care for others.

          Now it’s up to us.  We can be reformed thieves!!