#8 You Shall Not Steal
We had lived in our home less than 6 months, when someone stole our car. Our parents wondered where we had moved for such a thing to happen, I began to wonder too. The car was not fancy. In fact, it was old. But to us, it was our freedom car. It was just what we needed: reliable and paid for! The incident jolted me a little and I wondered who would steal a car with a carseat in it? It was a crime that shook us and our security. I would never do that to another person!
As I read from J. Johns book, I began to evaluate stealing and how easily it is done. God revealed to me things that I have done that are stealing. Not tithing, not tithing enough or lying on your taxes is stealing. I have heard someone say, they were not going to pay someone back because they, the "giver" would not be expecting it. When you do not pay for services, you are stealing-wonder if our renter is reading this?
J. John suggested you take a look around your home to see if you have borrowed things and not returned them. Those things began to smack me in my face. Our friend made dinner for me one night when My Dear was out of town-that was at least a child ago! Tonight, I returned her plastic dish with an apology. I have a pair of basketball shorts on my desk that were in My Dears' collection. I had a picture of My Dear in those shorts on Facebook and got a post from a former youth saying, " I miss that guy! I miss those shorts!" Even though Casey is away in the military, I am mailing his mama those shorts.
My printer is broken. A few weeks ago, My Dear printed coupons for free bowling for the kids at work. I had copied our passports for our trip and the baseball schedules to give to parents from there too. God showed me that I was stealing again. I put 10 cents per each copy in an envelope and dropped it off with a note for copies. There are items in our house that have not made it their homes. To be honest, I am embarrassed it has happened! Most of it was "harmless" on my end but then again, I did not lose anything, someone else did. I have stolen time and joy from others too! When I was a little girl, I would evaluate what sins I committed according to the 10 Commandments. I recall days that I thought I had not sinned and told God, "thanks but not thanks" for forgiveness. But we know that "all have sinned" Romans 3:23. My stealing is still a sin, one I am working to fix. We think stealing has to be like our car,breaking into someone's home or copying a movie but it happens most often in the workplace when employees steal from the company they work for. It could be copies, paperclips, or car parts but it is all a sin. Take a look around you, are you stealing too? Then fix it!
As I read from J. Johns book, I began to evaluate stealing and how easily it is done. God revealed to me things that I have done that are stealing. Not tithing, not tithing enough or lying on your taxes is stealing. I have heard someone say, they were not going to pay someone back because they, the "giver" would not be expecting it. When you do not pay for services, you are stealing-wonder if our renter is reading this?
J. John suggested you take a look around your home to see if you have borrowed things and not returned them. Those things began to smack me in my face. Our friend made dinner for me one night when My Dear was out of town-that was at least a child ago! Tonight, I returned her plastic dish with an apology. I have a pair of basketball shorts on my desk that were in My Dears' collection. I had a picture of My Dear in those shorts on Facebook and got a post from a former youth saying, " I miss that guy! I miss those shorts!" Even though Casey is away in the military, I am mailing his mama those shorts.
My printer is broken. A few weeks ago, My Dear printed coupons for free bowling for the kids at work. I had copied our passports for our trip and the baseball schedules to give to parents from there too. God showed me that I was stealing again. I put 10 cents per each copy in an envelope and dropped it off with a note for copies. There are items in our house that have not made it their homes. To be honest, I am embarrassed it has happened! Most of it was "harmless" on my end but then again, I did not lose anything, someone else did. I have stolen time and joy from others too! When I was a little girl, I would evaluate what sins I committed according to the 10 Commandments. I recall days that I thought I had not sinned and told God, "thanks but not thanks" for forgiveness. But we know that "all have sinned" Romans 3:23. My stealing is still a sin, one I am working to fix. We think stealing has to be like our car,breaking into someone's home or copying a movie but it happens most often in the workplace when employees steal from the company they work for. It could be copies, paperclips, or car parts but it is all a sin. Take a look around you, are you stealing too? Then fix it!
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