Number 8 of God’s Ten Commandments says “Thou shalt not steal.” [ Exodus ch 20 ] I’m glad to say that Bible texts like these can still be seen in homes today. In 1977 about 80 Liverpool churches joined the Liverpool City Mission 10 Commandments Campaign and put up one commandment a month outside their church. In addition a special smaller poster was designed for shops and carried the words, “God said, Thou shalt not steal.” Months later, a manager who had two of these posters in his shop, ‘phoned to say that the posters worked and fewer things had been stolen, but the posters had also gone so could he have two more please!

A century or more ago children were taught to embroider Bible texts onto a piece of canvas. These were framed and then hung up in houses. A favourite text was, “Thou God seest me.” [ Genesis 16:13 ] A boy had this on his bedroom wall but one night his father, who was a burglar, forced him to come and help him burgle a house. When they arrived the father told his son to stand outside and keep looking both ways then to give a secret signal if anyone was coming. The father began climbing a downspout when suddenly the boy gave the secret sign. The father rushed back and the boy said, “I looked both ways but then I looked up and remembered my bedroom text, ‘Thou God seest me.’ Please don’t do it Dad, because God can see you and one day you’ll be punished.” These words touched his father’s heart, he asked God to forgive him and he never stole again.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labour, working with his hands what is good.” [ Ephesians 4:28 ] Watch this space!