Eighth Word - Exodus 20:15

20:15 – The 8th word is very simple “thou shalt not steal.” This is another one where there is a spectrum of the obvious “stealing” but then can go down a rabbit hole in to the deepest pits of taking what doesn’t belong to us. I get why stealing might be tempting and because there is a spectrum I don’t think that I’m 100% in the clear for this either. Like I went to Costco last week and the food court’s soda machine didn’t work so they set out cans of soda to take. My son grabbed me a soda too even though I didn’t order anything to drink but I just said screw it and took it. Was that wrong? Yeah, to be fair, I didn’t think that he was going to get a drink because he told me he wasn’t but when he got one and I didn’t see it until after I had opened it. Anyway, that’s a long way of saying it’s a spectrum and I feel like all we can do it our best.

I think the obvious stealing, taking something we know doesn’t belong to us and keeping it for our own, we know is wrong. But then there are situations where it might not be blatant stealing, but manipulating other people, or tricking them into giving you their money is just as bad. I have a cousin who’s husband does some of that, he goes to private injury law firms and after the clients get their settlement from the courts, the insurance company has 30 days to make the payment by state law. So his “investment firm” will come in and offer these people cash to make to sign over their settlement check to them and then charges them 30% to do it. And just the way he talks about these “stupid people who just give me their money.” Like no, these people are so desperate for money that they can’t even wait 30 days to cash out.

These people were so badly injured by the accident that they can’t work, they’ve spent years usually fighting the insurance companies and begging for more time on their rent, food, and they FINALLY get a settlement and they are so desperate that they can’t even wait 30 days. But some how they thieves look at these people and think “yeah that’s my pay day.” I get that there is a market out there for this, that these people need that money, and 10-15% I think is reasonable, for up front cash for 30 days. But 30%? That’s robbery, I think. Plus I really don’t like this guy anyway just because of some of the other stuff that he’s done. But anyway, he has made millions doing this, has vacation homes, multiple Teslas and I think it’s so wrong to charge that much and to think that these people are just so stupid to give their money away. I truly hope he never finds out what it’s like to be that desperate. Again, 10-15% is reasonable, 30% is disgusting. Anyway, that is just going to show that it’s a spectrum. And he still has his temple recommend and people see him as a genius business man.

It's not all about this guy, even though I don’t like him, a lot of that is personal. But it’s the concept that is so prevelant of taking advantage of other people so you can get money. I personally would never do that, and I grew up so poor that we starved, and I still wouldn’t take advantage of someone so that I could take their money. Maybe it’s because people have seen me as a single mom and thought “that’s my pay day,” and really taken advantage of me because I didn’t know. Mostly with like car stuff, and programs for my kids, etc. You know stuff like that. But I’ve lost a ton of money being scammed by people who thought I was “just too stupid and giving my money away.” Maybe I should start my own "investment firm" that does the same thing but for 15% instead and make a ton of money that way. Something to think about.

So it’s a spectrum, and this is what Jesus tells me whenever I start feeling like it’s not fair, etc. He says “you have exactly what I want you to have. I could put $25 million in your bank account right now, but I don’t. I could create the perfect money making opportunity for you right now, but I don’t. You have what I want you to have.” I also think sometimes when I’m like “it would be so easy to take the cash out of that lady’s purse right there,” I think “yeah but then you couldn’t havea temple recommend anymore. Is that the price of your temple recommend? Is that how much you’d sell it for?” Maybe other people don’t think about that kind of stuff, maybe that just makes me crazy and I don’t think about it often, just when the obvious opportunity arises. I mean, I’m a single mom, I was just able to quit my 3rd job. I’ve worked 6-7 days a week for the last 12 years, it’s expensive to raise kids alone, so yeah when there’s an opportunity to get some easy money, the temptation lasts about 14 seconds. I’ve never done it, and I hope that I never will. But it’s just an interesting concept to think about, theft being a spectrum and where our own individual limits are.