ASK DON’T TAKE
Memorise: Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and
saith, it is no transgression; the same is the companion
of a destroyer. Proverb
28:24, Read: Matthew 7:7-12, Bible in one year: Esther
1-3, John 8:48-9:12
giving it a more tolerable name. They do this so that the fall
weight of that evil act is not felt by their conscience.
However, re-branding prostitutes as commercial sex workers
or calling sexually transmitted diseases “gentleman’s
disease” does not change them from being what they are
before God. In the same vein, describing stealing as “taking”
does not stop it from being an evil act. Anything you take
without the permission of its rightful owner, especially with
the intent of keeping it, is stealing, irrespective of who you
took it from. If you take something with the consent of the
owner under a mutual understanding not to return it, you
can call it a gift. If there is a mutual agreement that the item
is to be returned, that is borrowing. Do you know that many
items have moved from being borrowed to being stolen,
because the one who borrowed the item has failed to return
it? If you have treated any item like that, you are a thief.
Return the item to its owner today.
It is a pity that some people do not know the difference
between gifts and borrowed items on the one hand and
stolen items on the other hand. One area where people
commonly flout such rules is in family relationships. Some
children take it for granted that because something belongs
to their parents, they are free to take it without their
permission. Also, spouses take advantage of each other in
this area. The wife may say since the money belongs to her
husband, and what is his is also hers, she can take his things
whenever she likes with his consent and without feeling
guilty. If you have not deliberately discussed this and jointly
agreed that it should be so, your action can amount to
stealing. God expects you to liven with a sense of
accountability, responsibility and honesty. The reason some
people steal from their spouses, parents or children is
because they know that if they ask for the item, their
request would be turned down. If you want something that
belongs to your spouse or family member, simply ask. If the
fellow turns down the request, pray to God to touch his or
her heart, then go and ask again and again. Never take
something unless you have the approval of the owner to do
so. Otherwise, you are a thief, and no thief will enter
Heaven.
ACTION POINT :
Cultivate the habit of seeking permission before taking or Using whatever belongs to others.
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