The 7th Commandment:
"You shall not steal." (Ex 20:15)
- Have I stolen any material goods? Did I realize my sin but fail to make restitution?
- When have I stolen time away from God by my spiritual laziness?
- When did I waste time at work, in school or at home?
- Am I stingy? For example, have I stolen cookies from my kids, perhaps hiding my favorite "stash" because I don’t want to share them?
- Have I been stingy in my support of the Church and other worthy causes? Scripture tells us to give God our tithes (ten percent of our income) and offerings. Have I been fearful that if I give away that much, I won’t have enough money to meet my needs and satisfy my desires? This means I’m not truly trusting God, I’m not obeying His Word, and I’m not acknowledging that everything I have comes from Him.
- Do I think that everything I own is only for my benefit, and do I assume that God did not give it to me for the good of others?
- What have I wasted money on while the Church, my neighbor or the destitute suffered from unmet needs?
- Have I stolen pens from work or tax money from the IRS? Have I made personal toll calls from work without paying for them?
- Have I borrowed something that I never returned? Or did I return it in damaged condition without offering to fix or replace it?
- Am I an employer who pays unjust wages? Am I a business person who forces up prices to take advantage of the buyer?
- Have I cheated on or broken a morally just contract or agreement? This includes paying my debts on time and fulfilling obligations.
- Have I participated in the theft of someone’s property, or knowingly benefited from it, and have not yet made restitution in proportion to my responsibility and share of what was stolen?
- Did I ever gamble excessively, through a lottery or other game, using money that should have been spent on needed items or given away as a charitable donation?
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