Day 167, Year 1

Hard to Change a Thief’s Nature?

“The murderer arises at dawn; He kills the poor and the needy, And at night he is as a thief.” (Job 24:14 NASB)

“Your rulers are rebels And companions of thieves; Everyone loves a bribe And chases after rewards. They do not defend the orphan, Nor does the widow’s plea come before them.” (Isaiah 1:23 NASB)

Today’s first verse speaks of “the murderer arises at dawn” and “at night he is as a thief.” This seems to be referring to someone who toils day and night, or more likely, evil spirits that always molest people. Meanwhile, the second verse of today speaks of the wicked Israeli rulers who are “companions of thieves.” Putting these two verses together it reminds us of the thieves and their companions in reality. Among those who have heard the Lord Jesus knocking, there might be someone who has become the companion of thieves. Hence, these people would find it very difficult to open their doors of hearts to Jesus. If this is the case, we should begin by changing our identity and mindset from companions of thieves, if applicable, so that we would open the doors when He knocks. We should abandon any relationships with the spirits of theft in the name of Jesus, and subsequently change the thief-like nature. Here, I suggest five aspects.

First, those who are rebellious against God should repent. Repentance involves not only praying to Him, but also exploring the root causes of our rebelliousness, including generational curses, peer pressure, and the unbelief in us, etc., in order to totally transform our defiant nature into submission to God.
Second, those who “love a bribe.” Some believe that those who worship idols chase after bribery, saving “face,” and even “pulling some strings.” After all, which popular idols do not have a superficial glamor or glossy appearance? The purpose of bribing is obviously for unrighteous gains. But all these mindsets must be discarded if we want to be blessed by God. 

Third, those who “chase after rewards.” The Chinese Union Version translated “rewards” with the meaning of “ill-gotten gains.” A thief’s nature is to seek unrighteous profits, loving and pursuing what is stolen or robbed. In contrast, those who welcome Jesus must abhor all unjust gains.

Fourth, those who “do not defend the orphan.” In the Bible, the rulers of Israel were the defenders of the orphans and widows. Contrarily, a thief’s nature is to be callous, or even to take delight in seeing the weak being oppressed. So, we should reach out to help the vulnerable and uphold justice for the weak if possible.

Fifth, those who ignore “the widow’s plea come before them.” The wicked not only commit sins, but also ignore the poor and needy. Indeed, those who pursue self-interest simply won’t listen to anything that does not benefit them. Contrarily, we are blessed to understand and combat human tragedies with God’s help.

Reflection questions:

1) Do you think that you have the identity, mindset, or role of a thief’s companion that needs to be changed by God’s help?

2) Of the five thief-like traits mentioned above, which one or two aspects do you currently need to get rid of the most?