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“You shall not steal.” Exodus 20:15
Many in the household of Christ agree that stealing is a sin. However, many are guilty of committing this particular sin on a daily or weekly basis. When individuals take pens, staplers, books or stationary from our employers without their knowledge or consent this is stealing in the eyes of the Lord.
I remember when I worked for the the Department of Social Services with the City of New York, workers often justified the act of stealing with statements like, “I have not gotten a raise in 3 years.” Or “They keep increasing my caseload so I’m going to get what I can, they owe it to me.”
They used many statements like these to ease their conscience and to justify their criminality in the eyes of others. I too was seduced by the enemy to commit criminal acts against the City but more importantly against God. It went on for years until the Lord confronted me about my secret sin!
When the Lord issues a command that we are not to do a thing there is no rationalizing it to make it acceptable to him. If it is sin no matter the reason it will be sin. I turned from the path of thievery and decided to invest in buying my own pens, staplers, and books. Although it seemed odd to others it put me in the right standing before God.
When you examine yourself in the light of Christ you may discover many other areas in which you have stolen. It could be in tithes or offering. It could be in time, when you are supposed to be working for your employer you may be shopping or chatting on the phone or on Facebook. It could be in the recording of your hours, falsifying your time sheets so that you can get paid overtime when you were not working. It could be stealing a cucumber from off the vine of your neighbor because it came on to your property.
Whatever it is, it is a sin. The Lord commands us to ask in order that we can receive. Our heavenly Father will not keep any good thing from his children therefore there is no reason or justification for us to steal from others.
Today is a glorious day for you have the opportunity to expose this secret sin to the light of the Lord and establish yourself in the firmness of Christ Jesus. What will you do to advance the purpose of God in your life?
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