It is common for people to rebrand a particular evil act by giving it a more tolerable name. They do this so that the full weight of that evil act is not felt by their conscience. However, rebranding prostitutes as commercial sex workers or calling sexually transmitted diseases “gentleman’s disease” does not change them from being what they are before God. In the same vein, describing stealing as “taking” does not stop it from being an evil act. Anything you take without the permission of its rightful owner, especially with the intent of keeping it, is stealing, irrespective of who you took it from. If you take something with the consent of the owner under a mutual understanding not to return it, you can call it a gift. If there is a mutual agreement that the item is to be returned, that is borrowing. Do you know that many items have moved from being borrowed to being stolen, because the one who borrowed the item has failed to return it? If you have treated any item like that, you are a thief. Return the item to its owner today.
 
It’s a pity that some people do not know the difference between gifts and borrowed items on the one hand and stolen items on the other hand. One area where people commonly flout such rules is in family relationships. Some children take it for granted that because something belongs to their parents, they are free to take it without their permission. Also, spouses take advantage of each other in this area. The wife may say since the money belongs to her husband, and what is his is also hers, she can take his things whenever she likes without his consent and without feeling guilty. If you have not deliberately discussed this and jointly agreed that it should be so, your action can amount to stealing. God expects you to live with a sense of accountability, responsibility and honesty. The reason some people steal from their spouses, parents or children is because they know that if they ask for the item, their request would be turned down. If you want something that belongs to your spouse or family member, simply ask. If the fellow turns down the request, pray to God to touch his or her heart, then go and ask again and again. Never take something unless you have the approval of the owner to do so. Otherwise, you are a thief, and no thief will enter Heaven.

k

tomato