Is It Stealing To Borrow Someone Else’s Stuff Without Asking?
Answer: It sure can be. Borrowing anything from anybody without asking doesn’t show much respect for the owner.
What if the owner needed it right away or had promised it to someone else? It always is best to ask permission to borrow something, even if it belongs to a good friend and you have used it before.
If the person has told you something like, “Use it anytime you want,” and he or she isn’t around to ask, that’s different.
You can go ahead and borrow it and leave a note. You want the person to know that it wasn’t stolen and that you borrowed it.
Asking permission and leaving notes show respect for your friend. Don’t ever steal something and then make the excuse that you were “just borrowing it.”
Stealing is wrong, and so is lying. Be an honest person who respects others and their property.
Key verse: Treat others as you want them to treat you. (Luke 6:31)
Related verses: Exodus 20:15; Matthew 22:34-40; Ephesians 4:28
Note to parents: Siblings often fight over toys when they’re young and over each other’s clothes when they’re older.
This is an opportunity to teach children how to share and be generous. Kids don’t learn this naturally; they need you to teach them.
What If Someone Is Shoplifting And It Is Your Friend – What Do You Do?
Answer: If you know that your friend is going to steal something or is trying to do so, you should point out that stealing is wrong and he or she shouldn’t do it.
If your friend doesn’t want to listen to you, you should walk away, leave the store or wherever you are, and go home right away.
Being with a person who is breaking the law can get you into trouble, too, because it is a crime not to report a crime. Tell your parents as soon as you get home.
Key verses: Now suppose, brothers, someone slips away from God. Such a person no longer trusts in the Lord.
But then someone helps him understand the Truth again. The person who brings him back to God will have saved a soul from death.
He will bring about the forgiveness of his many sins. (lames 5:19-20)
Related verses: Exodus 20:15; Proverbs 1:10-14; 13:20; Romans 13:1-5; 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15; Hebrews 10:24
Related question: If I see my friend steal, what do I do?
Note to parents: Help your child know how to pick friends and when it’s time to stop being friends with someone.
We want our kids to be positive influences, but there comes a time when they need to dissociate themselves from troublemakers.
What If You Find Something That Doesn’t Belong To You And You Can’t Find Who It Belongs To Is That Stealing?
Answer: Finding something that doesn’t belong to you isn’t stealing, but you should try to find the owner if you can.
How hard you try should match the value of what you find. A penny or nickel is worth very little; you don’t need to put an ad in the paper to find the person who lost it.
But an album of wedding pictures, a box of jewelry, or a wallet is worth a great deal.
You should make a far greater effort to find the owner of such valuable items.
Often your mom or dad will know exactly how to look for this person.
If you find something at school, you can take it to the lost and found.
Never use the statement “I just found it and can’t see anybody around” as an excuse to call something yours.
Key verses: You might see someone’s ox or sheep wandering away. If you do, don’t pretend you didn’t see it.
Take it back to its owner. You might not know who the owner is. If so, take it to your farm and keep it there.
When the owner comes looking for it, then give it to him.
The same applies to donkeys, clothing, or anything else you find. Keep it for its owner. (Deuteronomy 22:1-3)
Related verse: Philippians 2:4
Related questions: Is it wrong to keep a $20 bill that you found on the ground even when someone asked you if you saw it?
If you find a coin in a candy machine and you use it in the machine to buy candy, is that stealing?
Note to parents: Give examples of when you did this or when it was done to you and how you felt.
You might also mention to your children that people will notice whenever they make an attempt to return something.