Verse of the day: Ephesians 4:28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let
him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something
to give him who has need.
Here is
a topic we do not always, if ever, associate with grieving the Spirit that
indwells us. Stealing is just as common as lying; yet, many Christians are
involved in stealing in one way or another, and in most cases do not give it a
second thought. There are those of us who came out of a life of crime, and by
the grace of God have left that former life behind. However, there are some
who, even though we are now children of God, continue to practice stealing in
stealth mode. Here is what I mean. How many of us have taken a ream of paper or
some other office supplies from work to supply our own printer or office at
home? How many of us have taken a pen here or there because we like the way it
writes? How often do we spend more time on the internet, on social media, or
making personal phone calls, paying bills, and performing such tasks when we
are supposed to be working? I’m not talking about taking care of personal
matters while we are on our breaks. I am referring to times when we are supposed
to be laboring and earning the paycheck we will receive at the end of the week.
When we are unfair in our business practices, such as quoting prices that are
much higher than they should be for work we promise to complete or entering
into a contract or promising to complete a project and then going back on what
we promised or agreed to. This too is stealing. The fact of the matter is that
stealing is a lot broader than we think or want to admit to because somehow it
justifies our actions when we do these things. This should not be with the
child of God. When we do these things and no one is around to see us, we forget
that the Holy Spirit who indwells us sees it, and this grieves Him. One of the
things I have seen done, even by Christians, that should not be found amongst
God’s people is a person who is able bodied, but refuses to work and prefers to
collect from the government and dishonestly pretends that he/she is unable to work. The truth of the
matter is that Christians should be known for being the most industrious people
in society. The Apostle Paul was not ashamed to work (Acts 20:35). He did not
burden others when he was able to work and support himself (2 Thess 3:8). God,
when He created man, put Adam in the Garden to labor/work (Gen 2:15). The Word
of God tells us that anyone who does not work to provide for their family is
worse than an infidel (1 Tim 5:8). People should want to do business with us
because of our work ethic and honesty in dealing with others. The saddest
things I have had to do is take my business elsewhere, when trying to bring
business to Christian establishments, because the unsaved businesses were more
honest in their business practices. What glory does God get when the Christian
is the one person in the work place that is always whining and complaining,
coming in late, and leaving early every chance he/she gets? What glory does God
get when the Christian has to be micromanaged because he/she hardly ever
completes their work on time? What glory does God get when we agree to work
somewhere, knowing what is required, but then spend most of our days
complaining about the pay we receive in comparison to the work we do? The
Scriptures command us to work, to labor, with our hands; but it also tells us
for what purpose. We are to work for what is good, or in other words, honest,
lawful, work. Not only are we to be hard workers, but we are to work for
unselfish reasons. Yes, we work to meet our personal needs of shelter, food,
and transportation. These are all needs. However, we are also to labor so that we
can supply for the needs of others, should God want to use us to do so. We
should be able to not only give our tithes cheerfully, but also be able to give
to missions and whatever other need arises, whether in our local church or our
personal lives, as God makes us aware of those needs. Instead, too many of us
work to get the things we want, and not just the things we need. The problem becomes
that we focus more on our selfish and covetous wants then our needs. The end
result is that we live paycheck to paycheck, always stressed about not being
able to pay this bill or that bill. We get into debt over our heads because we
go out and buy things we really cannot afford. We buy houses and cars that we
cannot afford. We buy smaller items that are expensive because we want them,
but often only use them a time or two and they end up for sale in our yard
sales. Christians should not be known for being poor stewards of what God
allows us to have, and we should be people who manage our finances in such a
way that we can afford the things we need, and be able to help those who are
less fortunate, and who God puts before us so that He can use our resources
(which belong to Him in the first place) to be a blessing in that person’s
life. We have become a society, even amongst God’s people, who are all about “me,
me, me”. Some would say, “But I’m the one who goes out and works hard every
day. Why shouldn’t I be able to use my paycheck however I want to use it?”
Well, because it is God who has allowed us to have the job we have. It is God
who gives us the strength and health we have so that we can go out and labor
for His glory. The bottom line is that working, and how we work, honors God,
and when we are dishonest in our work ethic or refuse to work because we are
lazy, as Christians, this grieves the Holy Spirit who seeks to glorify Jesus
through us.
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