Ephesians 4-D "Steal No Longer"

S = Ephesians 4:28-29 “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

O = This passage strongly puts the thief in a parallel position with the liar or the one who speaks corrupting things. Just as the thief is told to stop stealing, the reader is told to stop speaking that which does not build up. As the former thief is to work with his hands in order to give to others, so the corrupt speaker is only to speak what builds up. Instead of taking comes giving, instead of tearing down comes building up. Having received the grace of God we are to become personal grace-dispensers. Because we have been forgiven, we must practice it. We have received the kindness of God, so we must share it. Verses 31-32 descriptively lay out what this looks like in word and deed.

A = My hands may not steal, but are my words stealing something from others (e.g., peace, love, trust, hope, thankfulness)? God has spoken his grace into my life and it is only right that I should pay it forward in the church, my family, and in the marketplace. May my words as well as my hands give to others this week, building something for God, as I impart his love and his grace to other people. But what does this look like? This week I will speak kind words not cutting, honoring words rather than treating people like objects, compassionate words instead of being insensitive, gratitude in place of grumbling and complaining. I have a feeling I will be more joyful as a result…and maybe it will be infectious.

P = O Lord, may my words steal no longer, discourage no longer. May I not grieve the Holy Spirit by resisting his work in my heart. As I have heard you forgive me may I not fail to speak that to those who have sinned against me in ways big and small. And Lord, please keep me from becoming hard-hearted towards you, and towards others. Amen.