Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. (Eph 4:28 KJV)

The apostle St. Paul is address the evil vice of stealing. Now there is a difference between evil vice and sin. Every theft is sin, yet theft only becomes a vice once it becomes a habit and way of life. Whoever uses thievery and stealing as a mode of living and livelihood is caught up in the vice of stealing. This is incompatible with the Christian way of living – the new life in Jesus Christ. Christians just can’t go ahead and steal food, wood, animals, office material, car radios or money. It contradicts our faith and hope and love we have in Jesus Christ. It fights against the Lord’s good gifts of grace and mercy. This is dangerous business as it threatens our salvation like all sin and puts us into danger of loosing God’s grace and peace. Therefore anybody who steals, should stop with that. He should repent, confess his sins and receive God’s forgiveness for Christ’s sake. Such a repentant Christian will go about his daily vocation and work to do good and something meaningful. This labour – be it with his hands or otherwise – is good. It is honourable and rewarding. The honourable St. Paul himself lauds and praises those, who work with their hands. That is not demeaning, but rather good and helpful. If you have work, rejoice and be grateful. Whoever can avoid sinful sloth, laziness and other shameful sins and vices can call himself blessed. The faithful labourer will even have enough to help the needy and poor – and from God’s holy Word we know that giving is a greater blessing than receiving. Blessed are those, who have that they can share and give to those in need! If you train your heart in doing good, you will also prevent your heart from becoming callous and hard as stone.

Merciful God and Father of us all! You have called us into various vocations so that we can help, benefit and promote our fellow-beings with good works of mercy and care. We ask you rule and govern us with your Holy Spirit, that we would love and fear you above all, trust you and hold your Holy Word more precious than all else. Keep us from all fraud and cheating. Bless our work, labour of our hands and endeavour, grant us food and the sustenance for our lives according to your goodwill and mercy. Prevent us from getting too attached to property and wealth, rather let us utilize it to your honour and glory and to the benefit of our fellow beings – especially the poor and needy amongst us. Help us to keep the faith and a good conscience by your grace and mercy. Let us continue to thank and praise you for all your benefits and blessings that you have bestowed so richly on us daily and all our lives. We glorify your name o Lord and God.  Amen.

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices; Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us, With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us; And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed; And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given; The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven; The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore; For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore. (Martin Rinkart 1636 tr Catherine Winkworth 1856)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Saturday after the nineteenth Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 354 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.