You shall not steal. (Ex. 20:15)
Exploring the spiritual intent behind the Ten Words that the Lord and Redeemer gives to His people helps develop an appreciation not just for the immediate inter-personal issues, but larger issues of social justice. There is a debate raging about effective and fair economics. Some support wealth distribution whilst others don’t want to limit or impose heavy taxation to interfere with the entrepreneurs who bring in the wealth in the first place.
To this point in the journey through the spiritual intent behind the Ten Words of God, there is a pattern that is not just about conformity to something that inhibits, but actually releases individual expression and community harmony. This is where all enjoy that which their hands have contributed to, yet also with a caring hand and heart for others in the community. This is in the light of the gracious act of God who has rescued us in a manner which we have done nothing to deserve neither has there been any outstanding characteristic about us that should merit His love and attention, but that He chooses to share it through His own merciful nature. He calls us to know Him and His love, value His special day of rest and the human models of His love in our parents as well as valuing the lives of others and the most intimate human relationship available to us. If this is all cooking on gas and we’re really enjoying loving God and each other there’s something inherently amiss with stealing.
Getting to grips with this concept can be a simple matter of not taking what does not belong to you. Kept at that simplicity, however, misses something even more profound. A desire to know how justice wants to distribute matters and issues to others. Property rights and possession being nine tenths of the law has been a common fall-back position for some, but if that really was the case countries like America and Australia would have to undergo significant reparations as the land itself does not belong to those who settled. Likewise abuses, raping and pillages throughout various lands elsewhere in the hope of imposing one’s rule over another would have to be sorted – that’s what justice demands.
Even there it’s easy to talk about taking land or property, it’s another thing to talk about taking things that are of even greater value. The principle inherent is how you deal with the physical is indicative of how we deal with the spiritual. The desire, though is to sort out the spiritual to gear our mind for a proper way of dealing with physical. The love mentality – the spiritual intent if you will – drives us in serving others to see them make the most of what they have as opposed to a predominant mentality of seeing what’s in it for you and you can get out of every situation. That selfish desire sees us pursuing the things of this world to such an extent that despite the outer moral dismay at acts of theft they are almost legitimised in the name of words as ambition, success, profit and maintaining the self-interest.
Not stealing does not show a limit on material acquisition it shows the limitless opportunities to give others the chance to enjoy the love given by God.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
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