Exodus 20:15 (You must not steal...)

Exodus 20:15
“You must not steal.

Well that seems simple enough. I mean, most of us know not to steal.

We live in a culture that encourages us to 'Get what you can for yourself'. A self serving attitude to life that blurs the lines of just what stealing really is.

I'm sure we'd all put our hands up and say we don't steal. Although... don't look at my iTunes library; Or that folder marked 'Movies'. Other than that... I'm all good.

If we were honest with ourselves, how many of us have taken stationery home from work; Or taken the credit for someone else's accomplishment? Do you always give back the extra change you get if the cashier isn't paying attention?

I'm not trying to point the finger at anyone. Just trying to get us to really look at how we live our lives and where we draw the line when it comes to right and wrong.

Today in church we had a guest speaker who talked about what being a christian meant to him. For him it was about knowing that God had made him, made all he saw around him and gave him a hope for the future. And it was also knowing God couldn't love him anymore than He already does or that He couldn't love him any less either.

But our guest speaker was also very candid about how he was towards God. Sometimes he felt as if he was living a good christian life and fulfilling all God had and wanted for him whilst at other times he felt like a fraud.

He felt like a fraud because he wasn't giving himself fully to God all the time. And isn't withholding something from someone a form of stealing. To keep for yourself what rightfully belongs to another.

I live I'm sure there is at least a part of it (some days most, if not all of it) that we withhold a part of ourselves from God. Be it denying Him my time, effort or talents, It's a form of stealing.

James 1:17 tells us 'every good and perfect gift is from above'.If this is true, then God is the rightful owner of all we have and all we are. I think its probably a good idea to give all those gifts back to Him in some way...

This week I'm going to pray and be thinking about all the ways I can give to God and those around me so that I can be much happier to put my hand up and say I don't steal. I don;t expect it to be an overnight transformation, but I expect it to happen.
I also pray it happens for you.


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