Stealing (renew your mind)

 

I have recently been reminded of just how easy it is to be a thief and a liar. You see, there are many things that people do in the world that are accepted as normal, and even encouraged. Of course, not encouraged by those who are the victims, just by others who do the same things.

I was at a meal recently and one of the people there ordered the special, all-you-can-eat meal. I ordered a salad. This person said I could have some of their fish, because they could get more. WRONG!!! As it turned out, they didn't even finish the first order, and took the rest home. So, I could have eaten some.

 

Someone recently asked me to make them some copies of my Christian music, so they could share it with a friend. WRONG!!! Not only did I tell her that I wouldn't do that, but I explained that it was stealing. Not just stealing, though, it is stealing from a ministry. (every time you pull out a copied disc, you tell people you stole that material)

 

I was in a Christian music store a number of years ago. A couple was starting a new ministry and wanted some printed materials. The particular curriculum they were looking at was more than they could afford. After some time in conversation with the sales person, she said (in a low whisper), “you could just buy a couple books and then copy them”. WRONG!!!! I quietly walked up behind them and said, “Yes. You could start a ministry for JESUS with stolen materials.”

It seems almost ludicrous to me that someone would consider the LORD wants them to do something and they would start it in sin, instead of just waiting for the LORD to provide.

Then there are memberships into shopping clubs, and rentals and what not. Some allow a member to bring a guest. Some, on the other hand, require each user to be a member. Yet, one person has a membership and uses that membership to help someone else shop. Churches and ministries do this. It is what I like to call WRONG!!!!

The Bible has no gray areas. It is black and white, yes and no, right and wrong, good and evil. Anything that is gray is part evil. Anything that is part evil, is 100% EVIL.

We, who are in this world as ambassadors of CHRIST, who are not of this world, need to reflect the values and concerns of our holy and perfect LORD. Not for our sake, not even for HIS sake (although HIS reputation should be our concern) but, for the sake of those who see us and know what and WHOSE we are. For conscience sake. Not your conscience, but the conscience of one that might see.

The renewing of the mind is a process of learning to think from a GOD centered perspective.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1Corinthians 2:11-12