Making Good Choices - Ten WordsSample

Making the right choices – Ten Words

Word # 8 Give!  

“You shall not steal.” (Exodus 20:15)

This Word is all about justice through respecting human property rights, and generosity by showing practical love to God and our neighbour.

This Word teaches us to practice justice by protecting personal property and to respect the property of others. Many human laws have been made to try to protect personal possessions and property from those who would seek to take them for themselves.

There are laws against larceny, embezzlement, grand theft and petty theft. Laws against robbery and armed robbery, burglary, receiving stolen property, fraud, and stealing intellectual property..

This Eighth Word goes deeper. Stealing can take many forms, including cheating someone or even delaying paying someone what you owe him or her. Companies can attempt to steal from people with misleading advertising and deliver shoddy products and services. Employees can steal from their employers by wasting time or doing personal things on company time. Using deception to make sales and gain market shares is stealing because the deception means that whatever the buyer consents to is not the actual situation. Violating patents, copyrights, and other intellectual property laws is stealing because it deprives owners of the ability to profit from their creation under the terms of civil law.

The spiritual meaning of our Word contrasts two ways of living: getting versus giving. “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” (Ephesians 4:28)

It has been said that ‘you are never more like Christ than when you are giving.’ Sharing is an antidote to stealing. 

The Bible warns against stealing from God the tithes and offerings owed Him, but promises blessings to those who do give to Him. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?”

“In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse —your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” (Malachi 3:10)

Making the right choices?

This Word #8 shows that we are to trust the Lord to provide all we need, to be content with what we have, and always be ready to share with those in need. We are to choose justice which is respecting other people’s property.