Thou shalt not steal.
~ Ex 20:15
It is estimated that criminals steal $41 billion a year from American stores.1 In a time when more people are getting hit hard by the economy, some are getting twice as hard because of the rise in identity theft.2 Some that are hit with ID theft are unable to get through the recovery process due to the expense.
Some view God’s Law as bondage. In reality, our Creator created everything for our well-being, which gives Him the glory. When we all are in tune with His will, things go much smoother.
Imagine, if you will, a world where stealing does not take place. Police staff could be cut. Businesses would not have to expend sums of money on surveillance equipment and people to run them. Locks and keys would not be needed. Businesses could expand more, pay people more, give larger bonuses and give back to their communities.
Speaking of bonuses, part of not stealing would mean equitable treatment. People would be paid what they truly were worth. CEOs would not be taking large sums of money for next to no work.
Credit card companies, if they existed at all, would not be legalized loan sharks. Poor people would not be expected to pay higher percentages than rich people. Not only would it be that way because credit card companies would not be stealing from the least able to defend themselves, but everyone would pay their bills and pay them on time.
More money means better ability to take care of those who truly could not take care of themselves.
Contrast that with today. Read the newspaper, and you see the mortgage, insurance and banking industries all in disarray because of greed. They carried on their business with no qualms about the sustainability of it all. They stole from the future for the present, and now everyone has to pay. Even worse, our grandchildren will be paying for this mess.
I don’t know that there really needs to be any more said about this.
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Sources:
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- Cruz, Wil & Kennedy, Helen. (2008, August 24). Target’s target: Theft as economy sinks and shoplifting rises. NY Daily News. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2008/08/24/2008-08-24_targets_target_theft_as_economy_sinks_an.html.
- Schweber, Arieanna. (n.d.). Economy Hits ID Theft Victims Harder. Retrieved 1 May 2009 from http://blog.absolute.com/economy-hits-id-theft-victims-harder/.
- Cruz, Wil & Kennedy, Helen. (2008, August 24). Target’s target: Theft as economy sinks and shoplifting rises. NY Daily News. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2008/08/24/2008-08-24_targets_target_theft_as_economy_sinks_an.html.