30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; 31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

Compassion for Stealing

There are two very important points made here, that are both tied together yet also can stand independently.

Stealing is not just stealing. It is not always black and white. Verse thirty exhorts us not to be excessively hard on an individual who steals out of true need, such as the individual who steals food the eat. There is a difference between stealing out of need and stealing out of greed.

People can go through extortionary circumstances that will cause them to do things that under normal circumstances they would not do. We all like to think that we would not do this or that, but do we really want to be pushed to point that would be required for us to truly find that out? How many people have done things that they thought they would never, ever, do? Many, I assure you. Any person can be pushed to steal or do most anything if their circumstances are grievous enough.

In part verse thirty-one is where our laws of restoration have originated. If a person steals and is caught, they are to pay restoration, pay back what they took. This is so important according to Scripture that they are to give everything that they have (all the substance of his house”), if that is what is required, to repay what they owe.

For example, when a person files bankruptcy almost everything he or she owns is auctioned off to pay the creditors. This happens because the person took products, services, or money and did not pay the debit, thus the person stole from the creditor.

I leave you with this thought. When someone has done something do not be quick to judge that person as merely a horrible person, but instead make an effort to understand their circumstances, this is called compassion, and we are expected to have compassion on all people, not just the people we believe deserve compassion. Remember – There but for the grace of God go I – it just might be you one day despite all that you might believe about yourself to the contrary.

Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.