Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands that they may have something to share with those in need.
Summary: Paul’s instruction in this verse is unusually blunt. If you are stealing, stop it! Do something useful! Share what you’ve earned with those in need.
Stealing is a way of life for some people. Stealing is taking what belongs to someone else. God draws a distinction between someone taking what they need to survive and people who take what they want. The passage that comes to mind is from Leviticus 23:
“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 23:22)
The poor were allowed to take what they could eat. What they took for food was not considered stealing. The landowners were encouraged to leave food in the field for them, so the word “stealing” in this passage does not refer to hungry people.
When God gave the Ten Commandments, the eighth command was “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15). The tenth command explains more. It says:
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:17)
The people who covet already have enough to eat. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t have time to covet. They would be thinking about the pain in their stomachs. Instead of coveting what others have, Paul points to the obvious solution; work for what you want. Do something useful.
As a Christian who is no longer a Gentile but now part of God’s family, this guidance takes on new meaning. Not only do we no longer steal what we covet, not only do we work for what we want, we give to others as well.
We have come full circle to the Hebrew landowners in Canaan. Like them, we allow God to provide for our own needs, and out of the abundance of what God provides, we share with others. When it comes to doing something useful, God considers providing for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widows very useful indeed. (Deuteronomy 14: 28-29)
Application: No more free office supplies! 🙂
Food for Thought: What are the benefits of sharing with those in need?
What are the benefits of sharing with those in need?
Acts 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
I just find that holding on to things brings me fear. Fear of loss. Sharing with others gives an opportunity to talk to another human being. Maybe share more than just materials. To share hope.
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
There is peace in sharing. To me materials things correlate to spiritual things as a car to the driver. A/C, CD player, heated seats are nice, but in the end we are all just trying to make it to the destination. Will we as people arrive in an old school bus full of people we care about, or alone in a decked-out two-seater with a suitcase on the passenger seat?
Malachi 3:10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
I like “no more need” over “I have too much and you have too little.” I think about Jesus, who had little materials on Earth, but is great in the Spirit. He gave everything the world thinks is valuable, and everything was taken, but on the third day, who really had what? What was taken was worthless, but what was given was eternal. We talk about people in need as if we aren’t those people. We need life, and God gives to us. When we share with others, as God gives to us, it is life more abundant. Abundance outside of our heart can be taken in a windstorm. Abundance inside our hearts is everlasting.
Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
I do want to add, there is a balance in giving.
2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
I think that speaks to someone giving because they think they have to or are supposed to. Like checking off a box. If you want to give, give your heart first, then your materials. Then the Spirit can share in you, you can share in the Spirit, and you can share in the Spirit with others.
Chris,
Thank you for your words! Your thoughts this morning have blessed me. Well done!
What are the benefits of sharing with those in need?
Less things to horde!
Less taxes.
Less clutter!
Less maintainence if you don’t own it.
Thinking about others, caring, doing a God tells us to do.
B. Ant,
Great points!! Thank you!
G’day Jeff,
When living with Love in your heart, it is easy too see those in need, and to share, even if it is just a smile and a compliment. The benefits are natural, the love in return is bountiful.
In regards to Leviticus and leaving the balance for the poor, I have a story from a customer I had who exported Building Materials, and was in Alexandria, Egypt on a business trip. One of the luncheons was a buffet style feast, guest were first through the food line, Employees were next, and if any food remained, the poor from the streets were allowed to go through the line.
kind regards,
Brad
Brad,
Thank you for checking in and sharing this story. It is very appropriate and inspiring! What a wonderful example of caring for the poor. 🙂
The first verse I thought if was where CH went – Acts 20: 33 – 35. There we see that Paul modeled what he taught.
I think we have all felt this truth too – it always feels good to give to something worthy. It is indeed more blessed to give than receive.
Even the poor can experience the blessing of giving (Luke 21: 1 – 4).
Rich,
Thank you for reminding us of the Widow’s Mite. It puts our giving under the harsh light of reality and argues for humility in all we do.
07-20-2023, What are the benefits of sharing with those in need?
I was walking across the parking lot to an IHOP one Sunday morning after church, and a man came up to me, asking for $5.00 to get something to eat. I told him to come in with me and I would pay for all he could eat, and I meant it. He replied, no, he would rather have the money, and I let him leave with nothing.
Why did Jesus come, what did Jesus give to others, who were the poor in the Bible, who are the poor today? What did Jesus tell us not to worry about? What did Jesus multiply by more than 4,000-5,000 times. How do the physical healings ( physical parables ) of Jesus teach spiritual truths? Leprosy, Deaf, Blind, Lame, Death.
Matthew 6:25-34, Matthew 14:13-21,15:29-39, Matthew 13:34-36
What is the greatest gift we have been given in abundance by our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not money, things, stuff of this world. These things can take our eyes off Jesus, and will provide a false feeling of security. Yes we should feed the poor, but we must not focus on feeding their desires with physical things.
There is only one gift Jesus has given to people through me, that brought tears of joy to their eyes, and that is the gift of salvation, through the blood of Jesus Christ. To feel the weight of their sins being lifted from them, the freedom from all guilt, as it is replaced by the cleansing of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 10:15, 11:14, 1 Corinthians 9:20, Luke 15:7, Hebrews 1:14, Acts 8:26-40
The benefit of sharing our faith with those in need is the privilege of being used by God as He reveals His truth’s to others, and the joy of being present as they receive eternal life through Christ.
Ron,
You bring us from meeting physical needs to meeting our spiritual needs. Both are important and both are needful. Your words are a good reminder that what we need most of all is Jesus.