It Starts Small

¹⁵ Do not steal. Exodus 20:15

Stealing is based in one question: What if God is holding out on me?

This fear can make us stop trusting in God to provide for us. God provides to us in two different ways: work and generosity.

It is easy to forget work is a good thing. Sometimes, homework, chores, going to your jobs, can lead us to feeling more misery than joy. The truth is, God designed work to be a good thing! He made us to tend to creation. He made us to reign over creation and to steward it on His behalf. He designed us to be creative like He is. This creativity provides food, shelter, clothing, and other necessities from doing work. Working also gives us a sense of purpose and fulfillment form knowing we are doing what God as created us to do.

Another way we get these necessities is through God’s generosity. God designed us to live in a community. The Holy Spirit works in us to give generously toward each other. When we recognize how generous God is with us, we are free to be generous with those around us. We can trust the generosity of God that when we see someone with an unmet need we are empowered to give generously to that person. When we are in a time of need, we can lean upon our community to carry us through it, trusting in God’s generosity flows through His people.

Sadly, because sin has entered the world, we sometimes believe the lie God will not provide what we need. Sin warps our minds making us think God is stingy so we need to take matters in our own hands. Jesus put those fears to rest. We serve a God who sent His Son to die on the cross in our place, and someday return to permanently reunite His people to Himself and restore creation to perfect abundance.

Today, what are ways you have seen God’s generosity at work?
How does trusting in God’s generosity free you to be more generous?

Physical theft is not the only type of theft we can commit. What are other ways we can steal from others or God?

²⁶ Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Matthew 6:26

³² Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common. ³³ With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them. ³⁴ For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold, ³⁵ and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need. Acts 4:32-35

²⁸ Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. Ephesians 4:28

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Part 1: God’s Holiness Revealed
Part 2: Depending on God
Part 3: Image of God
Part 4: What is in a Name?
Part 5: Resting in God
Part 6: Lifelong Honor
Part 7: Living in Unity
Part 8: Following a Faithful God
Part 9: Work and Generosity
Part 10 Honest Justice
Part 11: Transformed Hearts