“He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need” (Eph. 4:28).
Christian ethics is not simply “putting off” the old self and it’s accompanying evil deeds, it is the “putting on” of a new way of life. The person who steals must steal no longer. In the first century, slaves regarded petty theft as a part of their way of life. There are many ways of breaking the eighth commandment other than picking up something that doesn’t belong to you. As employees, we can steal time. As students, we can steal answers. The believer can no longer behave in this manner.
The negative behavior must be replaced by a positive one. The thief must earn an honest living, performing that which is good with his own hands. His work is to be positive, reflecting the nature of God who enables him to work. But there is more to Christian ethic. The worker is working so that he might have a surplus beyond his own needs. This hard labor has as its ultimate goal the sharing of the surplus with those who have need.
If you read the early chapters of the book of Acts, you will see that such generosity of heart was a characteristic of the early believers. Are you driven to hard work by your desire to accumulate for self-interest or to share with those in need?
Prayer: Father, give me the heart to share with those in need. Amen