Stealing

As we consider "You shall not steal," we need to think of the many ways that one can steal. It is easy to think of stealing is being about money and material things, but it is far more than that. In the Scriptures there are laws about stealing for more than just money. You can steal authority. You can steal reputation. You can steal people, i.e. kidnapping. You can steal by charging interest when you should not. You can steal from God by making vows and not fulfilling them. You can steal from a new bride by sending her husband away to war or business. You can steal a livelihood by taking tools as a pledge. You can steal by delaying to pay a debt. You can steal by not giving opportunities to the poor to have provision. It is easy to say I am not a thief in the eyes of man, but we should be asking ourselves, where are we thieves in the eyes of God.