You shall not steal. The eighth commandment protects property as an extension of personhood — what belongs to someone is connected to who they are. Theft is not merely taking what belongs to another; it is a form of disrespect for the person who earned or received it. Ephesians 4:28 connects the prohibition on stealing to the positive obligation of labor and generosity: anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, so that they may have something to share with those in need. The commandment is not only negative (do not take) but implies a positive vocation: earn honestly, receive justly, share generously. The society the commandment envisions is one where everyone's property is secure and everyone's need is met.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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