Giving Back What Was Stolen

Some people call it, “paying it forward”. Others are legitimately paying restitution, literally giving back what was stolen.  Still, some have an internal desire to do good and share.

I have been spending a lot of time with the Scriptures because I’m studying for a project. I have also put preachers or Scripture reading on in the room I am in, whether I am actually focused or sweeping the floor.

Yesterday, I was listening to a sermon around Ezekiel 33:15. The passage from verses 12-20 compares men’s rules about right and wrong with God’s rules concerning our behavior. Ezekiel says that men think they are righteous and then they do wrong things and require punishment. God says people are wicked and require repentance.

Ezekiel says that men require punishment.

God requires repentance. 

If one turns from sins, does what is lawful and right, if the wicked restores the pledge and gives back what he has stolen, then he (or she) shall surely live and not die.

But,

how do you do that in real life? I stole things from people who aren’t even alive anymore. People have stolen from me, intangible things like innocence and confidence, years of my life were impacted negatively. I know people who have submitted to abortion or committed abortion or took part in other permanent losses, like dealing drugs that have killed people.

The Scripture says that none of these things will be remembered against him if we repent as described here: 14“But when I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and he turns from his sin and practices justice and righteousness, 15if a wicked man restores a pledge, pays back what he has taken by robbery, walks by the statutes which ensure life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die.16“None of his sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. He has practiced justice and righteousness; he shall surely live.…Many people want that. But how does that work if we cannot restore and repay?

I think the way it works is by surrogacy. Like when someone steps in for another person who cannot do something. We know Jesus, the Only-begotten Son of God, stepped in for us and took all of the punishment due to us for our sins.

Giving back what was stolen is not possible, but I can give to someone else. If I could give back directly and make proper restitution, that would be best, but as I said, I cannot. Likewise, many people have turned their lives around, but cannot return back to those injured, the things lost. A baby cannot be returned after he has been aborted. Gang members may not be able to return a child to her family, but those same people might be able to meet God’s standard anyway.

Then,

So, when a gang member repents and then works to provide a safe environment and build positive community programs, isn’t he or she paying back? Aren’t they restoring or giving back what was stolen?

I stole money from a little old lady in my neighborhood when I was 13. She was long gone, even if I could have repaid her after I repented. Instead, I sponsored an elderly widow in Poland for two years and I sought out opportunities to be good to elderly people in my area. If I read the passage correctly, the only one who remembered that I stole that money should be me, except that now you know too. This is good news.

Many people know who Abby Johnson is. She was a Planned Parenthood director for a number of years. She is a great example of how repentance works. Abby took part in stealing humanity itself. God’s treasure was stolen directly from the wombs of women. Abby has not only stopped working for the abortion vendors, but she has, to the best of her ability, given back to society. No one can return the little ones. There is no way to adequately compensate individual women for their losses.

So she looked for other ways of restoring what was stolen. She exposed Planned Parenthood to anyone and everyone who would listen. Abby wrote books and blogs and articles and spent countless hours traveling and giving talks in an effort to dissuade others from participating in abortion. She has set up a ministry to help people leave their jobs at the abortion vendors. Her family has adopted too. Her group is teaming up with the Alice Paul Group to provide the Pro-Life Women’s Conference.

What?

It seems like if anyone could meet the standards set by God, she has. That doesn’t mean that we don’t mess up, that we don’t need to repent ever again. That’s absurd.

So, in my meditation about this, I thought about the Apostle Paul. He had grievously tormented the church, throwing some in jail, injuring and being involved in the killing of some followers of Christ. Paul, previously named Saul, repented after a pretty dramatic encounter with God.

He wasn’t recorded as going back and providing restitution to everyone, but we do see him going forward and preaching and teaching for the rest of his life despite terrible hardships. Giving back what was stolen was impossible.

Repentance isn’t just about giving up some wrong behavior, but adding right behaviors.