(40) Love Thy Neighbor

Exodus 20:15-16

• You shall not steal.
• You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

These two commandments deal mostly with how we treat each other.  These, besides murder of course, are probably the worst things we can do to people.  It is said that the only thing worse than a thief is a liar.  Both make those we do it to feel vulnerable, used, and/or betrayed.

So if people feel this way after we do it then why do we do it?  The only answer to this is so that we gain something out of it.  People may say they do it because they have to but that is a rationalization.  There are no such things as little white lies.  There are no such things as petty theft.  Although man's law may set levels for how we do things like this, in the eyes of God it comes down to one thing.  We sinned.  We have lied.  We all have stolen.  We all deserve the penalty that comes with these, both man's and God's.  But God gave us a way out.  He of course gave us Jesus Christ.

Oddly enough Jesus' adversary (and ours) is a liar and a thief.  Go figure.