Christ was no thief, but He allowed Himself to be crucified with and for thieves. Why did He allow this? Love compelled Him to bear the sins of many.
Sin has consequences and brings responsibility. A man who gets right with the Lord should naturally look for ways to restore that which he has stolen.
When an individual gets things right with God, he should likewise look for opportunities to make things right with others he might have done wrong.
A man’s salutation can serve as the initial window to the condition of his heart. To understand this truth, consider Nabal's salutation concerning David.
The Bible often defines words through their associations. For instance, the words salute, saluteth, and salutation involve a greeting.
There are times when we attempt to do the right thing only to have our motive judged as impure. In such times, we can learn much from David's example.
The apostle Paul was a man who believed his actions were simply the wishes and desires of God. This was until the Lord met him on the road to Damascus. Paul’s warfare with the Lord was likened to Paul kicking against pricks. Though Paul thought he was doing the right thing, he was, in reality, hurting himself by putting himself at odds with the Lord. Some men in Paul’s position would testify to the Lord concerning their own good when directly confronted by the Lord. Paul, however, responded by submitting himself to the Lord’s conviction and seeking out the necessary means for proper restitution. He did not accuse the Lord or justify himself. Instead, the apostle asked the question, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”
Authority resides upon those who have the right to rule; but, unfortunately, it is not always combined with the ability to rule wisely. In the most basic sense, authority is the right and responsibility to rule others as given to one individual by another. The centurion in Matthew 8:9 expressed this truth when he said that his authority gave him the right to issue commands to his soldiers. The apostle Paul referred to his authority to call for the arrest and persecution of Christians (Acts 9:14; Acts 26:10, 12). This truth was also taught in the parable of the nobleman and his servants where the reward given was authority to rule over cities (Luke 19:17). Unfortunately, this desire for authority over others has been the source of problems and troubles throughout history.
Anger is not sinful, yet the source of one’s anger sometimes does manifest one’s sinful heart. Perhaps the prophet Jonah best demonstrates this truth. When the Lord first approached Jonah about the need in Nineveh, Jonah clearly displayed his displeasure in seeing the Lord work in the lives of the Ninevites. After experiencing the Lord’s chastening, Jonah appeared to have a heart change. Yet, it did not take long before his anger revealed his true feelings and thoughts. As the hearts of the Ninevites were becoming tender toward the Lord, the prophet’s heart was becoming hardened through anger. His anger revealed that he wanted his own will and not God’s.
A steward is a man entrusted with a certain responsibility. He may have a greater or lesser area of oversight, but he always has something placed under his care of great importance to the master. If he is to care for money, he is to do so faithfully and to the best of his ability. If he is to care for fields or houses, he is to do likewise. Whether the master of the house is present or absent, the steward is to do as he has been commissioned by the one who owns that for which he is a steward. Stewardship is a great privilege. It is an honourable thing for any man to be considered worthy of the task, but at the same time, it is a position of great responsibility and one that must be done with great sobriety.
