Respecting Property
Scripture Reading —
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.
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Can you guess what the most common crime is in any country?
If you guess that stealing is the most common crime, that’s right—shoplifting, burglary, identity theft, credit card fraud, tax evasion, embezzlement, graft, car theft, plagiarism, and more. There are so many ways to steal from others that it can be tricky to list them all.
In the eighth commandment —“You shall not steal” ()—we can see that God loathes theft.
Why does God condemn the taking of others’ property, possessions, and more?
The root problem is that when we take what God has given to others, even in small amounts, we demean them. We do so by reducing others and their possessions to “resources” that we want to use or just keep for ourselves. Moreover, when we take from others, we rob them of the opportunity to be stewards of what God has given them to show gratitude to him and to bless others. Ultimately, theft isn’t just a shifting of property and possessions; it shows contempt for the fact that we are “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
The eighth commandment reminds us that in trusting God for our own needs, we also display our love for others.
Lord, God, all that we have is a trust from you. Help us to faithfully take care of and use what you have given us and to protect what you have given to others. Amen.
About the author — Kurt Selles
Kurt Selles is the former director of ReFrame Ministries and Executive Editor of Today, serving from August 2012 through July 2026. He is a graduate of Calvin College and Seminary, and received his PhD from Vanderbilt University. Before coming to ReFrame, he served 19 years in Taiwan and China with CRC World Missions. Kurt later taught missions at Beeson Divinity School, where he also acted as the director of the school’s Global Center. Kurt and his wife, Vicki, reside in Grand Rapids and have three adult children.
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