Possessions

 I recently heard a comedian say he used to work at the 'steal department' of the grocery store - that's what he called the 'self checkout lane'. Years back I shared about how I accidently 'stole' a tube of hair gel in the bottom of my cart from Target, but then took it back to customer service to sheepishly pay for it. Apparently my life of crime continues...

Just a few weeks ago I was at Meijer's. I was ringing stuff up and had to call a clerk over for assistance. She finished up my order and even helped me pack it up. I took everything home and when I looked at the receipt - I discovered I hadn't paid for a bag of 'Cheetos'. Now it wasn't technically stealing - and it wasn't really even my fault - but I ended up with something for which I did not pay... This time, I immediately thought about how they previously 'accidently' charged me full price on 2 separate items that were clearly marked on sale...

I guarantee in the end, they still got more of my money than they deserved, so I'd call it a wash... Now, I can rationalize all I want - but does that make it right...? Now is that incident really that big of a deal...? No - but I remembered a quote I read once, "It doesn't matter how much or how little you take, stealing is wrong." But here's the part that makes me think, he wrote, "You can't be a person of character AND be a thief."

A bag of 'Cheetos' may not be a big deal - but to God, my character is. The passage I wanted to start us out with is a short one we've read before...

Exodus 20:15 (NIV)

You shall not steal.

It's so to the point and straight forward it feels like it really requires no further explanation. So - why is it such a frequently broken command? Why are our jails full of people convicted of stealing? Show of hands - who here is a thief? - Anybody ready to throw up their hands and admit it? Is stealing really a major problem with us? This is a command that God gave to His people - to honor Him and to set them apart. This morning, I want us to first look at...

I. Two ways of ownership

Why do people steal? For some, it's out of desperation - they don't believe they have other options. For others it's just part of a lifestyle of sin - they steal to buy drugs or for other illegal activities. For others, it's just sheer desire or the thrill of it or because they're maybe bored by 'being good'? Some don't see it as a big deal.

I think it all boils down to a lack of understanding about 'things' - material possessions. Those who choose to steal somehow think that 'things' can and will satisfy them. 'Things' don't make us happy. They may bring temporary happiness - but 'things' cannot fulfill us. We need to have a proper understanding of our relationship with 'things'. First of all...

A. You own things

There have always been those who oppose the concept of 'private property', 'private ownership'. There are political ideologies that are becoming more popular with generations who haven't seen the consequences of said ideologies. We've seen rioting and looting that people have justified because 'some people have more than others'.

The fact that God commands "You shall not steal" implies that people can 'own' things. If no one 'owned' anything, it wouldn't be possible to steal anything from anyone. The Bible never condemns 'ownership'. Many prominent characters in the Bible 'owned' a lot of things. Abraham was very wealthy. King David was extremely rich.

'Owning things' is not necessarily the problem - it's how you got the things you have and what you do with them once you have them - that's more God's concern. In reality - God owns everything - so what we 'own' really needs to be seen more as stewardship. 'Owning' anything can be seen as a test from God. What will you do with what God has allowed you to have, what He has given you?

Your relationship with what you 'own' says a lot about your character. A person of character always remembers that 'things' are to be used and people are to be loved - not the other way around. Relationships matter - 'things' pass away. Jesus said...

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. (20) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

What are your long term plans...? Most people have a plan to work towards retirement, but do you also have a plan for eternity? And is your plan for retirement directly influenced foremost by your plan for eternity..? Some of the most effective believers I've seen have viewed their retirement as being 'freed to serve'. We can make plans and own things, but I've said it before...

B. Things own you

The more 'stuff' you have, the more time it requires to maintain, and keep and care for it all. You buy a car, there are maintenance costs and repair bills. You buy a house with a yard - there are maintenance costs, and insurance and you have to buy a mower and yard tools, or hire a service to take care of the lawn. You buy something as small as a smoke detector - you're supposed to check it regularly and change the battery.

Everything we 'own' takes a little part of us to keep it - or we have to give more time to work to afford to have someone else give their time. Either way - 'things' lay claim to us. The more 'things' we own, the more of ourselves we have to give away. Jesus says this in Matthew 16:26 (NIV)...

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

And also, in Luke 12:15 (NIV)...

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

We need to honestly examine our relationship with the things that we own - and the things that own us. Is God pleased with the way we use what He has given us?

"You shall not steal." I think theft occurs when we believe that what God has blessed us with is just not enough. Our relationship with God takes a back seat because we somehow think that we deserve more than what God has given us. Most theft doesn't stem from a lack of 'stuff' or from a physical need, but from a lack of trust in God - from a lack of spiritual understanding. I want us to look at...

II. Two ways to steal

"You shall not steal." For such a simple command, it covers a lot of ground. It goes from acts such as accidently 'shoplifting' 'Cheetos' from Meijer's, to robbing a bank and all the way to today's high tech crimes of fraud and I.D. theft to the concept of stealing someone's intellectual property.

Stealing can be as big as hundreds of millions of dollars of investor's money on Wall Street to a few cents or dollars worth of office supplies we 'borrow' from work. But nowhere in the Bible do we really see a distinction between the two. Scripture doesn't say "You shall not steal" unless it's just a little bit or the person from whom you are stealing can afford it. It doesn't say "You shall not steal" unless the amount is less than 2% of your adjusted gross income found on your federal 1040 form.

Stealing - taking something that isn't yours - is a big deal. We serve a Holy God - a perfect God. Lying on your taxes could be considered a form of stealing from the government and it comes with a serious penalty. Do we obey simply because we don't want to go to jail or because God says, "You shall not steal." Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." We may owe the government taxes - but we owe God obedience and faithfulness. He says our character matters.

When we take anything that doesn't belong to us we are...

A. Robbing others

And there are many ways to steal from someone. Do you steal money by not paying your debts? I understand that sometimes we can get into situations where we are overwhelmed and may even file bankruptcy to get out of debt. And legally, we can get out of paying what we owe - but for the Christian, for people who live by a higher standard - should we neglect paying our bills and does that constitute stealing?

Do you steal money through aggressive business practices? In today's business arena, forcefully negotiating the best deal may be rationalized as 'just good business' - but does it take advantage of someone's else's difficult circumstances?

Have you ever sold a used car and failed to mention some details that might affect the asking price? Do we steal time by 'fudging' on our time cards at work or showing up late or taking a 'sick day' when we're not really sick? "It's just part of the game." "A little 'creative dealing' is expected." "Everybody does it." 'Majority rule' can't be the standard by which Christians live - we have been given a higher standard.

There are plenty of ways to take 'money and things' from other people, but we can also be guilty of...

B. Robbing God

When 'things' become more important to us than God, we have robbed Him of first place in our hearts - something He deserves. Our attitude towards money and material possessions should be determined by our submission to God. Let's look at Malachi 3:8-10 (NIV)...

"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings. (9) You are under a curse -the whole nation of you - because you are robbing me. (10) 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 you will not have room enough for it."

Now understand that this passage is from the Old Testament and was specifically given to God's chosen people. We are under the New Covenant and grace, not under Old Testament Law. However, I have yet to find a passage in the New Testament where Jesus calls His followers to lower standards than Moses called people to in the Old Testament.

I want to be clear - God is most concerned with having you, not just your wallet. But if you don't trust God with your finances, that may be a very clear indication that you don't trust God. Your generosity towards God and others can speak volumes about your relationship with God.

We are not under the Law, we are under grace - but grace goes over and above what the law does. Jesus said that if man's law required a person to walk with a Roman soldier for a mile - go with him two. Giving under the law produces a begrudging attitude - giving under grace demonstrates love.

Let's say your boss required you to donate time or money for a charity he or she picked out - how excited about 'giving' would you be? Giving out of love is different. Do you give to God because you feel you have to, or because you love Him? Do you give the minimum you can get away with and still feel okay - or does your giving really reflect how much God has blessed you?

"You shall not steal." It's a short command, but there's a lot of different ways to break it. And rather than rationalizing, excusing or justifying theft, because at least we haven't done it to the extent of some others - let's be people of integrity, even when it may cost us. We need to draw close to God and work at avoiding the temptations that are all around us.

We need to open our eyes to the many blessings that we have. People who seek to please God remember how much they have been given over and above what they truly deserve. I'm more blessed than I deserve. How do you avoid the temptation of theft? - Count your blessings and practice the discipline of generosity. It takes your focus off of you and your needs and helps place it on the needs of others. The Apostle Paul wrote, in Ephesians 4:28 (NIV)...

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

True story -- I knew a man who was very well off but never saw the real need for Church or God. He was one of those businessmen who took advantage of every opportunity he came across. There were times when he made out like a bandit at the expense of others. He wouldn't exactly break the law, but in your dealings with him - if everything wasn't in writing, you could be sure that he'd manage to somehow squeeze a few dollars more out of you. Ethics were not real high on his list. Money was much more important than people or God.

The result of his questionable business practices? - He accumulated a whole lot of wealth, but he had a horrible reputation in town as a swindler and a cheat and his own family admitted even they didn't care for him very much. Then he was involved in a serious construction accident. He just about died and it took a long time to recover.

In that time, the Church where his wife attended prayed for him and overwhelmed him with genuine Christian love. After that, he had a very different perspective on 'things'. On any given Sunday, you'd find him in Church services singing his heart out and I'm told 'frequently weeping during communion time'. He even volunteered to completely pay for a new parking lot for the Church. His business dealings became a whole lot different once he put 'things' in the right perspective.

So What?

I don't expect that any of you here this morning are hard core criminals or thieves. But God wasn't only talking about avoiding major theft - He wants us working to be people of character in all situations. Bottom line - don't put your trust in things, trust God.

Make an honest assessment of your relationship to 'things' this morning. And I've said before, looking at your checkbook might give you a better picture of where you priorities really are. Perhaps you need to do some soul searching and admit you may be guilty of theft in some form or another. And then make it right.

It is not my intention to somehow 'guilt' you into a 'perfect life' in order to somehow earn Heaven. None of us deserve Heaven, even if we never struggle with stealing. It is my intention to encourage you to struggle daily to live lives measured by a higher standard, to count your blessings, be content with what God gives you and to be generous with others and with God.