Love Promotes Healthy Giving

“He must labor, performing with his own hand what is good, so that he will have something to share with him who has need.” ~ Ephesians 4:28

We can safely conclude from this scripture that one prescription for dishonesty is self-support. Instead of stealing, reaching out to others with brotherly love in order to give is called for, while expecting nothing in return. At Luke 10:30, you can read the account of the Samaritan. While thieves took away from the traveler, the Samaritan gave to the traveler by binding up his wounds and caring for him, even paying for the travelers stay at the inn as the Samaritan left to tend to his business.

Stealing is one of the most vile forms of selfishness. Love is the antidote for stealing because love gives. Love is not necessarily the cure for the one that is loved, but love is the cure for one exercising love. Always paying your own way is not a cure for stealing. When you add love to personal integrity and effort, brotherly love overflows to others and theft is eliminated. Nothing is expected in return for brotherly love when the heart is right.