To Thine Own Things Be True
... there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft. When you kill a man, you steal a life... you steal his wife's right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness... there is no act more wretched than stealing.
— Khaled Hosseini The Kite Runner
As I pondered the eight commandment, “You shall not steal,” it occurred to me that there are many more ways of stealing and they strike a lot closer home. I would like you to take a quiz this morning. Your answers are completely confidential unless you choose to share them. Let’s see what you really think about taking what is not your own. Answer each question “yes” or “no.”
Quiz on Stealing
1. Is it stealing to shoplift from a Walmart store?
2. Is it stealing to keep change for a $20 bill when you only gave a $10 bill?
3. Is it stealing to copy music from a CD to your computer and pass on the CD to someone else?
4. Is it stealing to buy a DVD of dubious origin on the street?
5. Is it stealing to copy onto your computer a software program that does not belong to you?
6. Is it stealing to borrow your neighbor’s tools and not return them?
7. Is it stealing to borrow a book and forget it on your bookshelf after you have read it?
8. Is it stealing to take an answer to a test from a student whose test paper you can see?
9. Is it stealing to present ideas, essays, or proposals that are not your own as though they were your own?
Occasionally I have shared a verse my dad wrote in my autograph book when I was in the sixth grade.
I sow a thought and reap an act.
I sow an act and reap a habit.
I sow a habit and reap a life.
I sow a life and reap a destiny.
We are reminded that our choices form our character. Sedgewick sowed a thought and reaped an act, he sowed an act and reaped a habit and he sowed a habit and reaped a character.
But by God’s grace, we do not need to live out the choices of the past. Regardless of our age we don’t have to be the people of the past. With God’s help we can sow new thoughts and new acts and reap a new character. We call this transformation and it is possible for each one of us.
Dallas Willard reminds us of the process and he calls it VIM: we need a vision of what we can be – and that is the vision of Jesus Christ and his character; we need to have the intension of developing that character; and we need to avail ourselves of the means – which includes making the commitment to follow Jesus, experience the fullness of the Spirit in our lives, and practice the spiritual disciplines that bring transformation into our lives.
Life is not a solo ride. Whether you are married or single, young or old, we are meant to take the journey of life with others. At North Sound Church our motto is “Navigating Life Together”. We believe this is how we will best fulfill our purpose in life. We want to help you connect with others, understand the Bible, develop a relationship with Jesus Christ, be challenged to take the next steps in your spiritual journey, participate in compelling worship services, and develop meaningful friendships.
God’s Word, the Bible, gives us some wonderful insight on living a purposeful life. The church has five major practices that are gleaned from the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). These five practices encourage us to:
1.Connect: “Baptizing them” (identification with the body of Christ)
2.Grow: “Teaching them to obey”
3.Serve: “Love your neighbor as yourself”
4.Share: “Go and make disciples”
5.Worship: “Love the Lord with all your heart”
These purposes reflect both a journey of growth as well as ongoing functions in our lives. Our journey begins with connecting with the church. It grows through discipleship, continues with service to others, includes sharing the gospel with others and is surrounded by the centrality of worship in our lives. We believe that these five practices lead to the accomplishment of the mission of our own lives to serve God and of the mission of the church which is that of making mature disciples.
The 10 Commandments help us understand God’s will for our lives and sometimes they point out the ways we need to change. Thankfully God helps us change.