John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

My wife makes jewelry. I help her at shows where we set up a booth and display her work. Some events can get very busy from time to time. Having three tables it isn’t always possible to keep an eye on everything when people are looking to buy.

At one event we were warned that a team of thieves were trying to distract the owners while a partner was stealing goods. I try to keep an eye out for that. I look for people who are watching me to see if I am paying attention.

Who is the thief? What is it that is being stolen? When we look at people and find them suspicious something has been stolen from right under your nose and you haven’t even seen it. Trust has been stolen. Peace has been lost. Joy is dampened. Who is the thief? It isn’t the person picking through the jewelry. It isn’t the person watching me to see what I am doing. It is Satan who has gotten into my head.

Jesus came to give us the abundant life, to live life to the fullest. When our life is full, we cannot and do not keep an eye out for the thief who is snatching up what we are not watching closely. We get busy and suddenly we have lost our peace and we don’t know where it went. We know who stole it and it wasn’t a person. You might want to blame someone who is yelling at you, accusing you falsely, has wronged you in some way. They are not the ones who stole your peace. Satan will help you point fingers of blame to distract you from what he has done.

The lost need to be shown a way out. The saved who are deceived need correction and exhortation. We all need to see things from God’s point of view. We all need help.

Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.