Just Restitution- Exodus 22:1-15

The Law offers protections for people who own property, animals, and things. It also protects those who may be wrongly accused of theft or mishandling. If a person steals, it was required that he make restitution. If restitution could not be made, he was to sell himself as a slave in order to afford the restitutions. The death of a thief was lawful under certain circumstances, and the owner of the property protected if he killed a thief in the act. But, restitution was preferred. Death was not a punishment for thieves. Instead, the punishment was to fit the crime. Restitution did not mean paying back the exact worth of what was stolen, but paying back double or quadruple depending on the circumstance. When we steal from others, we do more in damage than merely the worth of whatever it is being stolen. Societies cannot thrive if people are interested in taking what belongs to others. Theft includes more than burglary. Most often, theft involves demanding what belongs to others through welfare systems, taxes, underhanded business practices, con artistry, and so on… Don’t mishear me. Some degree of charity is good, but I do think most welfare systems steal from those who earn their lot in order to give to those unwilling to earn a penny. It hurts society and keeps the impoverished poor—theft to the death of a nation. Notice what God gives us in the law. In a just society, thieves, all sorts of thieves, are to pay restitution for the damages they cause. People did not pay restitution for someone else’s crimes—there were protections against such absurdity. Those who personally caused damages were to pay the proper restitution after going before a judge for their guilt or innocence to be proven. May we learn such just proceedings in our time for the good of our societies.