35 - The Price of Prosperity

When it comes to stealing, the human mind can be so creative it would be impossible to write enough laws to prevent it in all its forms. There are flagrant, aggressive ways to steal and subtle, passive ways. Some types are obvious while others could never be proven in a court of law because they depend on hidden attitudes of the heart. Who’s to say a misleading statement was intentional, or that a person did or didn’t work as diligently as possible on a project, or whether a neighbor really forgot to return a borrowed item. So when it comes right down to it, the only person who can make me obey the eighth commandment is me. And the biggest problem I face is convincing myself I want to obey it. In practice honesty can be a very costly path to take. It will force me to turn down certain opportunities to take something I want. It will force me to work hard and be patient. It will make me put the needs of others ahead of my own. And while those choices sound good in principle they can be very frustrating to live out in daily life. Refusing to steal may sound like a noble ideal, but unless I’m convinced God loves me and will do miracles to provide for me, I will soon find myself coming up with excuses for breaking this commandment. It forces me to choose between God and wealth… to decide who I love the most.