Daily Devotions
Stealing Time At Work
Reading for February 28th: Deuteronomy 23-25
"If you go into your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in your bag."
Deuteronomy 23:24
The Law made a distinction between eating a few grapes as you journeyed through someone's vineyard and stealing from your neighbor. We might make a similar distinction between using office supplies that your company provides for work and taking stuff from work to then sell to make money.
We should always err on the side of caution when it comes to using benefits and freedoms given to us by our employers. A modern example of this is use of the Internet at work. What can be a privilege (catching up on occasional, personal email) can get out of hand. When we're goofing off when we ought to be working, that's the same as stealing!
Christians should always be the hardest and most conscientious employees at any office. Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." We should never abuse a privilege but should have a good understanding from our boss of what their limits and expectations are for personal use of the Internet.
Father, give us a heart to obey and be submissive to our employers with all respect, knowing that we serve the Lord Christ.
