Theology of Thieves

The area in which I live has seen a rash of burglaries (seven) in church buildings in the last week.  It was front page news in the local newspaper, and as I read it, I was reminded of a break-in we suffered in May of 2006, and another "inside job" that occurred last summer.

And then, this morning, guess who got hit?  You got it.  When the secretary came into her office this morning it was obvious that someone had gained access to her office (and one other office) and had pried open every locked drawer looking for cash.  The more we looked around, evidence of forced entry was all over the place.  The police came, did the usual CSI stuff, and left us with their card in case we discovered any other signs.  The only item missing thus far is our associate minister's mp3 player.

Whenever you are the victim of a crime like this, it is unsettling and makes the whole day seem darker and colder than a typical day in January is anyway.

Just as we were winding up our time with the detectives and trying to get back into the normal rhythm of a Friday, our noon Prayer Zone was upon us.  We paused to read Scripture together and pray.  As we prayed, we didn't pray for ourselves.  We prayed for a variety of needs, but we also began to pray for those who had broken into our church building.  God quietly drew our hearts to the lives of people who were desperate enough to commit this crime.

I've been thinking about these thieves most of the day.  I am tempted to merely conjure up security measures for future intruders.

• Church pit bulls roaming the halls at night
• Motion detectors which immediately fill the building with mustard gas
• Rabid wolverines kept inside lock boxes
• Super-sticky door knobs
• Razor-lined mail slots

But I am more intrigued by what it is that drives people to steal.  It goes deeper than a need for drug money or the thrill of the crime.  The thief arrives at a point of desperation so intense that he/she is willing to acquire the territory and the possessions of another by force.  Accompanying this drive to acquire is a world view which is almost completely selfish.  It is not just about acquisition.  It is about entitlement.  Laws are for other people, not the thief.

Please understand that I am not placing myself above being thief-like in some of my actions and attitudes.  I can be selfish with the best (worst) of them.  I, too, am seeking to acquire things in my life:  comfort, sensual fulfillment and freedom from worry.  And at times, I care less than I should about how I gain them.

As with most things, my passions are healthy in their strength, but unhealthy in their direction.  If only the drive to acquire the glory of God were as strong as my drive to acquire personal success.  If only I thirsted for the fruitfulness of God's kingdom as much as I do for personal comfort.

The thief is willing to concoct a plan, gather together tools, slip into the night when most other people are sleeping, brave the weather (it was brutally cold last night), risk unknown dangers and challenges inside the building they invade, test the skills of the police, and carefully devise a way to use their gained spoils without drawing the attention of law enforcement.  The vast majority of thieves never escape prosecution, so you would think such slim odds would be a deterrent.  Nevertheless, logic seems illogical in the face of the passion to acquire.

What thieves, like me, need to keep in mind is that an invaluable treasure is available to me at every moment of the day.  I don't have to acquire it by force.  It is not encased in an impenetrable vault.  It is not guarded by pit bulls.  It is not sealed away in an unknown cave deep in the earth.  It is open to the seeker.  It is God Himself.  In fact, He is actively and constantly seeking us.

Thieves, search no more.  All that you have been plotting to gain by cleverness and stealth is before you.  God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that anyone who trusts in Him will have life in fullness that never ends.