IMAGINE OBEYING JUST ONE COMMANDMENT

What a wonderful life this would be if everybody obeyed the eighth commandment.

What would life be like if everyone obeyed just one of the ten commandments? Imagine what a difference there'd be if everyone kept the eighth commandment (Exodus 20:15): if nobody stole anything.

We wouldn't need a pocketful of keys, would we? Our homes, cars, offices, and the myriad things we own would be safe. Nothing would ever sprout legs. Imagine the savings on insurance.

But there's more. When one steals, lies generally follow. "Not me. I didn't take it." The implication is someone else did. Obedience to the eighth commandment would mean we'd also obey the ninth (vs 16). No one would falsely accuse another. No one would steal from another's good reputation.

How many murders take place during a robbery, or from avenging a theft? Our courts and jails wouldn't be so congested if only that one commandment, you shall not steal, was obeyed, because you shall not kill (vs 13) would be less abused.

Adultery is theft of the affections of another's mate, and theft from the adulterer's self esteem. Without this kind of theft the seventh commandment (vs 14) would be intact.

Theft comes from wrongfully desiring another person's possessions. Your bible makes it plain: you shall not covet your neighbour's house, wife, hired help, livestock, or anything that belongs to your neighbour (vs 17). Obedience to the theft commandment would mean keeping the tenth as well.

Theft dishonours one's parents, especially if they've done their best to teach honour toward God and others (vs 12). And no parent would steal from a child's upbringing by failing to teach him not to steal -- that is if everyone obeyed the theft commandment.

If no one stole no one would steal from God's first place in life by making anything more important than God. No one would have other gods before him (vs 3).

No man-made image of God or Jesus Christ can begin to describe their glory, so the second commandment (vss 4-5) would be safe. No one would steal one iota of God's greatness by trying to picture him on canvas or in bronze.

No one would take God's name lightly, for to do so also steals from his greatness (vs 7).

Finally, God's sabbath would be kept holy (vs 8) for the reason God created it, for worship and rest. By breaking the sabbath we steal from our own mental, physical, and spiritual health by failing to give our minds and bodies the rest and re-creation they need.

God gave us the ten commandments for your benefit and mine. When we look at only one as we just have, it's easy to understand what James meant when he said if you break one you're guilty of breaking them all (James 2:10).

© Life Lines