【双语灵修】尊重财产RESPECTING PROPERTY

以弗所书 4:17-28

所以我说，且在主里确实地说：你们行事不要再像外邦人，存虚妄的心行事。他们心地昏昧，与神所赐的生命隔绝了，都因自己无知，心里刚硬；良心既然丧尽，就放纵私欲，贪行种种的污秽。你们学了基督，却不是这样。如果你们听过他的道，领了他的教，学了他的真理，就要脱去你们从前行为上的旧人，这旧人是因私欲的迷惑渐渐变坏的；又要将你们的心志改换一新，并且穿上新人，这新人是照着神的形象造的，有真理的仁义和圣洁。所以你们要弃绝谎言，各人与邻舍说实话，因为我们是互相为肢体。生气却不要犯罪，不可含怒到日落，也不可给魔鬼留地步。从前偷窃的，不要再偷，总要劳力，亲手做正经事，就可有余，分给那缺少的人。

8月22日

尊重财产

“从前偷窃的，不要再偷；总要劳力，亲手做正经事，就可有（余）分给那缺少的人。” - 以弗所书 4:28

你能猜到，放眼世界，哪一种罪行最为普遍吗？

如果你猜的是偷窃，那就对了—顺手牵羊、入室盗窃、盗用身份、信用卡欺诈、偷税漏税、挪用公款、贪污受贿、偷窃车辆、剽窃抄袭等等。窃取他人财物的方式如此之多，难于一一列举。

在第八诫—“不可偷盗”（《出埃及记》20:15），我们可以看到神憎恶偷窃。为什么神如此严厉地谴责剥夺、侵占他人财产的行为呢？

问题的根源在于，当我们夺取神赐予他人的东西时，哪怕数量微小，我们也是在贬低他们。这种行为，是将他人及其财物，降格为我们想要利用或据为己有的“资源”。此外，当我们强夺他人的财物时，实际上也剥夺了他们作为“上帝管家”的职分，让他们失去了为神所赐的东西向祂感恩、以及造福他人的机会。归根结底，偷窃不仅仅是财产和财物的转移，更是对人类神圣身份的极其轻慢，因为我们是“照着神的形象造的，有真理的仁义和圣洁”。（参《以弗所书》4:24）

第八诫提醒我们，在为自己的需要而仰望神时，也彰显了对他人的爱。

祷告

主神啊，我们所拥有的一切都是从你而来的托付。求你帮助我们忠心地照管、使用，并保护你所赐予我们的一切。阿们。

Ephesians 4:17-28

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22

RESPECTING PROPERTY

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. —Ephesians 4:28

Can you guess what the most common crime is in any country?

If you guess that stealing is the most common crime, that’s right—shoplifting, burglary, identity theft, credit card fraud, tax evasion, embezzlement, graft, car theft, plagiarism, and more. There are so many ways to steal from others that it can be tricky to list them all.

In the eighth commandment —“You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15)—we can see that God loathes theft.

Why does God condemn the taking of others’ property, possessions, and more?

The root problem is that when we take what God has given to others, even in small amounts, we demean them. We do so by reducing others and their possessions to “resources” that we want to use or just keep for ourselves. Moreover, when we take from others, we rob them of the opportunity to be stewards of what God has given them to show gratitude to him and to bless others. Ultimately, theft isn’t just a shifting of property and possessions; it shows contempt for the fact that we are “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

The eighth commandment reminds us that in trusting God for our own needs, we also display our love for others.

Lord, God, all that we have is a trust from you. Help us to faithfully take care of and use what you have given us and to protect what you have given to others. Amen.