Matthew 6:24-34
Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal.”
This is one of the most familiar commandments and so it is likely that we pass over it without giving it much thought. Let’s look a little deeper at it today.
It seems rather easy to understand that it means to not to take something that isn’t yours, but how often do we do that without thinking? Have you ever checked your phone too often when at work? How about using an office paperclip or more for your personal use? Maybe it wasn’t even at the office. Maybe you were given more change than you were due at the grocery store and kept it because it was their mistake. Or maybe it was borrowing a tool you didn’t ask to use. There are so many ways that we break this commandment, maybe without even meaning to.
Why do we do it and what does it say about what we think about God? In our passage today Jesus is talking about worrying about the things we need. In today’s world where there are so many wants, over and above our needs, many think that the way to get what we want is to just take it. But we, as Christians, are to live different to the world. Jesus explained that if God cares for all the birds of the air and flowers of the fields why wouldn’t He care for us?
This comes down to a matter of trust. Is God holding the number one place in our life? Than why do we think we have to go outside His way of life to gain what we think we need?
He supplies all our needs, maybe not all our wants, but all of our needs. And that is where the rub is, isn’t it? We have a lot of wants, don’t we? And it is those wants that fight for our attention seeking to draw our attention from God. Stealing is more of a temptation when we can’t keep from thinking about the thing we want. We find ourselves struggling with keeping God as our number one when we have that thing we want in our focus. Stealing is saying that God isn’t enough and doesn’t care enough for us to take care of our needs. It also shows that we don’t care about others, as it is from others that we are stealing. When we steal it may show that we are worshiping self. Is that who we want to worship?
Making It Personal
Have you ever stolen anything? Did you make it right with the person you stole from? When we don’t give God time set aside for Him, are we stealing from Him? Are there ways that you need to stop stealing?
Making It Personal Kids
What does it mean to steal? Have you ever taken something that wasn’t yours? Is God happy when we take something that isn’t ours?
Closing Prayer
Father, when we steal it is like we are saying that You aren’t taking care of us the way we need. How shameful that we would ever take Your care for granted. Please give us eyes that are open to see all the many ways You provide for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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