Theft is something that comes in many forms. It can be something as simple as using your time at work to make personal phone calls, 
Surf the net,or having a non-work related idle chat with your colleagues at work, when you should be working. Then there’s the major things like Stealing money, Data, Software, Office supplies, Company patents, Trade Secrets, Etc. This type of behavior is expected from the unconverted, not those in Christ. Yes, I know that these are the kind of things that are practiced on a daily basis by many at our place of employment, you might be saying. These things may even be practiced by your supervisor. Listen, I understand. You spend some time in an environment where things are being done a certain way, you tend to develop certain habits and you modify your behavior and conform. Earl Nightingale once said, “Conformity breathes contempt”. In essence, we become so familiar with a certain thing that we tend to allow ourselves to adapt to it or its environment and accept it as normal.
But, does that make it o.k. for you to do it also? No. Not if you are a professing Christian. This type of behavior is unacceptable, in the eyes of the Lord. Let’s take a moment to see what the Lord has to say about how we are to approach work:
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
[Colossians 3: 23-24]
I like this quote from Sir Winston Churchill when he said,
“It’s not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what’s required.”
I’m not trying to say that anyone is perfect, even though we are called to strive for perfection in Christ [read Matt. 5:48; Rom. 12:2; Phil. 3:15]. As a matter of fact, I used to do the same things. That is until the Lord dealt with my heart on the matter. I repented and asked the Lord to keep me from stealing from my employer. Theft is theft. Be it ‘Time’, ‘Supplies’, or any other piece of property that we may show a nonchalant attitude towards, including the theft of money, be it large or small – all is significant. We tend to soothe our consciences by saying, “Oh, he’s (meaning our employer) got allot of money, or supplies, etc., he wont miss it”, and we justify our actions.
Therefore, if this is something that you are struggling with, and you want to turn away from doing these things, you must now repent. Not just say that your sorry and try to do the work of stopping this habit on your own, but truly repent, being heart broken over your evil deed and turn to Christ for restoration and forgiveness.
However, you must be ever so conscious of the fact that temptations will come. Ask the Lord to show it from afar off and give you the wisdom to see the way of escape that he has put in place for you to be delivered from the temptation, that you may glorify your Father in heaven [Read Matt. 5:16 ; 1 Cor. 10:31].
Here are some links to some recent employee thefts that made the news:
Kaupthing Employees Accused of Stealing Millions
Ford Motor Employee Arrested – Steals Trade Secrets
Atlantis Employee Charged with Stealing
May these examples be a forewarning for all who choose to reward themselves with instant gratification. When we lack self control, we make ourselves vulnerable to things that cause us to bring reproach to the name of Christ and destroy our good name [Read Prov. 25:28]. There is a saying, “A word is sufficient to the wise”. Or as Christ puts it, “He that have ears to hear, let hear”.
