Being a True Man
Don’t Steal
We sat in the bleachers. I had been here before but the guy sitting next to me, it was his first time! He was
very excited. I was excited for him. For me, and for most of the 27,000 in attendance it was “old hat.” The
outcome was pretty predictable. They won. Again. There was little doubt. The only difference between us and
the crowd that gathered was that we were rooting for the other team! It was a loss in a long, long string of
losses this year. We went to the game hoping for a different outcome. But it was not meant to be. It wouldn’
t have been so bad if the loss hadn’t been so lopsided. But they didn’t just lose, they gave the game away at
some points. And they stole two and a half hours from us. That game marked hours of our lives we’ll never
get back!
Have you every felt that way? Maybe it was an unusually boring or bad movie or play. Time that was spent
hoping for a good time disappointed in the end. It feels like time is stolen from us. And, in a way, it is. This is
an interesting way to look at the 7th Commandment. There are more things that can be stolen than just
money or some other treasure. Time can be stolen from us and by us.
Playing cribbage on the internet while at work is stealing from the company. Pens, paper, paper clips, post-it
notes slipped into the briefcase or purse on the way out of work. Choosing to stay late at work instead of
watching your son playing his first baseball game is stealing from your son, and stealing from yourself an
experience that you will never be able to get back.
God gave the 7th Commandment to bring order our relationships with each other. Yes, we can steal from
Him as well, but that’s covered in the first three commandments. The 7th Commandment is about us and
what we do to and with others. We steal from others all the time. Steal time, steal dignity, and steal feelings.
It is not hard to do. In fact, we’re born with the ability.
But we can be helped! Jesus Christ and His life, death and resurrection paid the price for all our sin, including
our sin of stealing from others. Whether we steal their money, or steal their dignity, Christ died to forgive us
our sin. In the wake of that forgiveness, we can forgive others and be forgiven by others. What we’ve stolen,
Christ returns! Thanks be to God!
© 2006 True Men Ministries, Inc.
We sat in the bleachers. I had been here before but the guy sitting next to me, it was his first time! He was
very excited. I was excited for him. For me, and for most of the 27,000 in attendance it was “old hat.” The
outcome was pretty predictable. They won. Again. There was little doubt. The only difference between us and
the crowd that gathered was that we were rooting for the other team! It was a loss in a long, long string of
losses this year. We went to the game hoping for a different outcome. But it was not meant to be. It wouldn’
t have been so bad if the loss hadn’t been so lopsided. But they didn’t just lose, they gave the game away at
some points. And they stole two and a half hours from us. That game marked hours of our lives we’ll never
get back!
Have you every felt that way? Maybe it was an unusually boring or bad movie or play. Time that was spent
hoping for a good time disappointed in the end. It feels like time is stolen from us. And, in a way, it is. This is
an interesting way to look at the 7th Commandment. There are more things that can be stolen than just
money or some other treasure. Time can be stolen from us and by us.
Playing cribbage on the internet while at work is stealing from the company. Pens, paper, paper clips, post-it
notes slipped into the briefcase or purse on the way out of work. Choosing to stay late at work instead of
watching your son playing his first baseball game is stealing from your son, and stealing from yourself an
experience that you will never be able to get back.
God gave the 7th Commandment to bring order our relationships with each other. Yes, we can steal from
Him as well, but that’s covered in the first three commandments. The 7th Commandment is about us and
what we do to and with others. We steal from others all the time. Steal time, steal dignity, and steal feelings.
It is not hard to do. In fact, we’re born with the ability.
But we can be helped! Jesus Christ and His life, death and resurrection paid the price for all our sin, including
our sin of stealing from others. Whether we steal their money, or steal their dignity, Christ died to forgive us
our sin. In the wake of that forgiveness, we can forgive others and be forgiven by others. What we’ve stolen,
Christ returns! Thanks be to God!
© 2006 True Men Ministries, Inc.
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