To Be a Better Man, Earn Your Own Way
In respect to being a better man, let's look at the eight commandment Thou shall not steal...
If I were to ask you what are some of the traits of a real Manly Man, what would be your response? When I say a Manly Man, I'm talking about a standout type of man who exhibits character, honor, and strength.
Out of all the traits that come to mind, I think one that we would definitely all agree on is someone who earns his keep and earns his way in life.
This is a man who takes pride in living his life and earning his way in an honorable decent manner.
This man would never stoop to the level of taking someone else's property.
Theft and stealing are far from this man's heart.
I think we could all agree that theft is something that real Manly Men just don't do, and with this commandment, we can see that God feels the same way.
I find it difficult to justify stealing.
From my experiences in the days of my own ignorance and rebellion, I simply stole out of selfishness.
In those days I was surely lacking in any real character and understanding.
When all the evidence is looked at, it does appear that selfishness is the root cause behind theft.
Now one could make the case that they had to steal to stay alive, like for instance in stealing food.
When this is the situation, I know that theft may be looked at as being justified; however, this reason loses some of its validity when you consider the many missions, organizations, and government assistance programs that provide food here in this country.
With this in mind there just doesn't seem to be much justification for theft.
One thing we must realize, is that God has given us the ability to get wealth.
Deuteronomy 8:18 states "And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
" The power he's given us is to get our own wealth.
This does not involve stealing someone else's wealth for ourselves.
Wanting to get ahead in life is not an excuse for taking someone else's possessions.
Taking someone else's property is lazy, wrong, and selfish.
As I've stated before, this is something that real men just don't do.
God has blessed us with the magnificent ability to create.
We have been given a mind unlike any other in all creation.
We have the ability to come up with ideas, to come up with all types of solutions and inventions that can change our lives for the better and earn an honest income.
Think about it, almost everything that we have and use today was created or produced by someone.
From the light bulb to toilet paper, from a dishwasher to doorknobs, it was all started in someone's mind.
Now I'm not saying that we should all become inventors of some new products, I am however making the case that we have so many talents that we often leave dormant in our lives.
We have so much potential that I think we either do not realize, or simply don't believe in.
If we would believe and use all of our God given talents in an honorable way, I truly believe there would be no limit for us.
Galatians 6:7 reads, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
" With this scripture in mind, one of the most foolish endeavors a man can take part in is theft.
It would have to fall under one of the dumbest investment options in the world.
You could replace theft with many other offenses, but the main thing to keep in mind here is that whatever a man sows he will also reap.
If you sow good seed, you will reap a good harvest, if you sow bad seed, you will reap a bad harvest.
Earning your way honestly in life is one of the many wise ways you could invest in your own future.
Sowing good seed will ensure a good return for you and your family.
The seeds that you plant today will be the harvest you reap next month and next year.
Genesis 8:22 states "While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.
" No matter where you are in life right now, you can make the decision to live higher and become better.
As we live our lives, let us be sure to earn our own way and respect the dignity of our fellow man and his or her property.
Let us continually invest in our future, by sowing good righteous seeds today, and reaping a sure good reward in the days to come.
If I were to ask you what are some of the traits of a real Manly Man, what would be your response? When I say a Manly Man, I'm talking about a standout type of man who exhibits character, honor, and strength.
Out of all the traits that come to mind, I think one that we would definitely all agree on is someone who earns his keep and earns his way in life.
This is a man who takes pride in living his life and earning his way in an honorable decent manner.
This man would never stoop to the level of taking someone else's property.
Theft and stealing are far from this man's heart.
I think we could all agree that theft is something that real Manly Men just don't do, and with this commandment, we can see that God feels the same way.
I find it difficult to justify stealing.
From my experiences in the days of my own ignorance and rebellion, I simply stole out of selfishness.
In those days I was surely lacking in any real character and understanding.
When all the evidence is looked at, it does appear that selfishness is the root cause behind theft.
Now one could make the case that they had to steal to stay alive, like for instance in stealing food.
When this is the situation, I know that theft may be looked at as being justified; however, this reason loses some of its validity when you consider the many missions, organizations, and government assistance programs that provide food here in this country.
With this in mind there just doesn't seem to be much justification for theft.
One thing we must realize, is that God has given us the ability to get wealth.
Deuteronomy 8:18 states "And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
" The power he's given us is to get our own wealth.
This does not involve stealing someone else's wealth for ourselves.
Wanting to get ahead in life is not an excuse for taking someone else's possessions.
Taking someone else's property is lazy, wrong, and selfish.
As I've stated before, this is something that real men just don't do.
God has blessed us with the magnificent ability to create.
We have been given a mind unlike any other in all creation.
We have the ability to come up with ideas, to come up with all types of solutions and inventions that can change our lives for the better and earn an honest income.
Think about it, almost everything that we have and use today was created or produced by someone.
From the light bulb to toilet paper, from a dishwasher to doorknobs, it was all started in someone's mind.
Now I'm not saying that we should all become inventors of some new products, I am however making the case that we have so many talents that we often leave dormant in our lives.
We have so much potential that I think we either do not realize, or simply don't believe in.
If we would believe and use all of our God given talents in an honorable way, I truly believe there would be no limit for us.
Galatians 6:7 reads, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
" With this scripture in mind, one of the most foolish endeavors a man can take part in is theft.
It would have to fall under one of the dumbest investment options in the world.
You could replace theft with many other offenses, but the main thing to keep in mind here is that whatever a man sows he will also reap.
If you sow good seed, you will reap a good harvest, if you sow bad seed, you will reap a bad harvest.
Earning your way honestly in life is one of the many wise ways you could invest in your own future.
Sowing good seed will ensure a good return for you and your family.
The seeds that you plant today will be the harvest you reap next month and next year.
Genesis 8:22 states "While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.
" No matter where you are in life right now, you can make the decision to live higher and become better.
As we live our lives, let us be sure to earn our own way and respect the dignity of our fellow man and his or her property.
Let us continually invest in our future, by sowing good righteous seeds today, and reaping a sure good reward in the days to come.
Source...