Losers-Weepers, Finders-Keepers
Amazingly, many people think the Bible is outdated; its message irrelevant in matters of the modern age. But the issues we deal with today are nothing new at all. They’re just old news with new headlines. The Bible did say that there is nothing new under the sun.
Eccl 1:8-10 (NIV)
The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.
Take this popular American cliché for example; Losers-weepers, Finders, Keepers. The logic behind this cliché is that when you find misplaced valuable stuff, it’s okay to keep it. After all, it would be your turn to lose stuff and “weep” one day. This might seem like modern-day smart logic, but God has something to say on the matter and He already did thousands of years ago. It is written in Deuteronomy 22:1-3 (NLT)
If you see your neighbor's ox or sheep or goat wandering away, don't ignore your responsibility. Take it back to its owner. If its owner does not live nearby or you don't know who the owner is, take it to your place and keep it until the owner comes looking for it. Then you must return it. Do the same if you find your neighbor's donkey, clothing, or anything else your neighbor loses. Don't ignore your responsibility.
Isn’t it interesting that the Bible used the word “responsibility” to describe what you must do if you found your neighbor’s valuables? Someone once asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Your neighbor does not necessarily have to be your friends or members of your community. I’m your neighbor for we are all connected wherever we are in the world.
It is your responsibility to protect what your neighbor has misplaced. You may keep it if you can neither locate the owner nor did the owner come for it. Isn’t it interesting that God commanded the Israelites to take responsibility for their neighbor’s property until the owner comes for it? I mean, if the “finder” knew the owner of the recovered property, why wait for the person to show up? Why not take it to them?
God’s command shows that the “finder” may not even know who the owner is, but it is his/her responsibility to protect the property for the owner. For we are all neighbors. The wisdom of this world is that finders are lucky keepers. But God’s wisdom shows that when the weeper is comforted by God, the kept item becomes a curse to the finder who thought they were lucky. Greater blessings can be lost through your neighbor’s possession that you covet and keep for yourself. God is still saying something. Let love lead.

We should pay more attention to ourselves - to our thoughts, emotions, relationships. But condemnation or evaluation of other people is always not the best idea.