"Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need."
“LET THE THIEF NO LONGER STEAL…”
If I were a betting man, I would bet that many of us don’t identify as a thief or robber. Many of us likely limit theft to the act of holding someone up at gunpoint while wearing a mask. Therefore, we view this as a sin we’re not guilty of.
But we must understand that robbery isn't limited to holding someone up at gunpoint. A thief comes in various shapes and sizes, and none of us are exempt from fitting the mold of a thief.
The thief is someone who robs a bank, yes. But a thief is also someone who lies on their timesheet at work. The thief is someone who lies on their taxes. The thief is someone who borrows and never returns a company computer. The thief is someone who takes advantage of an ignorant customer, making them pay more than they should. The thief is someone who cheats on their homework.
Just because you've never been handcuffed doesn't mean you're not guilty of stealing. Just because you don't have a mugshot online doesn't mean you're not a thief. We've all probably got a little more thievery in us than we would like to admit.
“BUT RATHER LET HIM LABOR…”
Once the thief encounters Jesus, something should begin to happen inside their heart and mind. The thief should set down the mask and the gun, and they should roll up their sleeves and get to work.
The word for labor implies one growing weary and tired from their work. In John 4, for example, Jesus is journeying from Judea to Galilee and, weary from the labor of his journey in the hot sun, he stops in Samaria (Jn. 4:6). The word "labor" paints the picture of work being hard and difficult.
Christian workers don't take the easy way out; instead, they embrace the labor of hard work. It honors God when we honor our boss by being diligent workers. It honors God when we show up on time to our job, and it honors God when we come home tired from our job. It honors God when we put down our phones at work. It honors God when we take time to think and carefully plan how to be better employees.
“DOING HONEST WORK WITH HIS OWN HANDS…”
The word for honest here is to be good, upright, honorable, and beneficial. It's the opposite of stealing. It's a commitment to being above reproach, having nothing to hide from others when it comes to work. This tells us that God cares about how you make your money. God cares about the type of worker you are, and he cares about the kind of work you do. God delights in honest, non-deceptive work.
Proverbs 16:8 says, "Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice." This teaches us that a full bank account is not a surefire sign of God's blessing. It's possible to make a lot of money outside of the will of God, and it's possible to not make a lot of money inside the will of God.
Honesty may be costly. It may require sacrifice. But, doing the right thing will always be worth it. It’s better to make less money doing honest work than to make a lot of money doing dishonest work.
SO THAT HE MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE WITH ANYONE IN NEED.”
Notice the transformation of motives and actions here in this one verse. The verse starts with a thief corruptly taking from his neighbor to build his own kingdom, and it ends with the thief emptying his kingdom to give to his neighbor.
A fundamental element of the Christian faith is sharing the fruits of our labor.
God hasn't blessed you with money and possessions so that you can feel safe and secure by them. He has blessed you with these things so that you can meet the needs of those around you. Christians work hard so that, with the fruit of their labor, they might better care for the needs of those around them.
CONCLUSION
It seems at times our hearts are programmed to doubt the reliability of hard, honest, and generous work. Satan himself wants honest work to appear like a death wish, and he wants theft to seem like the only way to life. But God tells us there's a better way to live!
Proverbs 10 says, "The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked." So, yes, doing the right thing may lead to loss. But it will never lead to despair. God will never leave you nor forsake you! God will always take care of you in your pursuit of doing what's right.
We must remember that sin never satisfies. Choosing sin over righteousness is like choosing a plate full of air over a juicy steak. After every bite, you think you will be satisfied, but you will only become more hungry. Unjust gain will never satisfy the hunger of our soul. So, may we be honest workers who are content with the fruit of righteousness.