Page 30 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 10_2023

Food for Thought

WHAT CAN WE DO?

B Y PETER S T OFFBERG

t would be truly wonderful if you were unable
to relate to the experiences chronicled in this
article. However, I suspect that as I recount
Ithe details of recent events at our little Church,
you will already be acquainted with the resultant
feelings of violation, anger, frustration and sheer
exasperation. It would be fantastic if you’d never
been burgled, robbed, defrauded or otherwise
relieved of your possessions, but what are the
chances?

Yes, sadly, our worship venue was broken into and,
as someone put it, was emptied of “everything
except the keyboard and the vacuum cleaner”. That’s
more than a slight exaggeration, which is a normal
reaction to this kind of trauma, but a lot was stolen.
They even took the safe, we have no idea how they
took the safe. As you probably know, it’s not just the
material loss either. It’s the annoyance of replacing
everything from the locks, doors and security gates
to bank cards, SIM cards, and even the armed
response company. It’s taken weeks to slowly sort
everything out, and it’s been an interesting journey.

Reactions to the burglary of a Church have ranged
from shocked to utterly unsurprised. Perhaps the
daily news is desensitising us with increasingly
bizarre tales of brazen thieving. What’s a little
burglary compared to the spectacular scale of theft
being alleged at the various commissions of enquiry? ON SITE SUNDAY SERVICES @ 9h30
I still can’t get over the safe, but it’s easier to fathom www.familychurch.online
than some of those allegations.
DAINFERN COLLEGE AUDITORIUM
When it comes right down to it, though, theft, no
matter the scale or the target, is simply just the
decision to take something that doesn’t belong to the feature movie glorifies thieves like Robin Hood
you. Whether it’s state capture, a stolen hotel towel or Aladdin? Then there’s the other type of piracy.
or pirated music, theft is theft and we seem to be Children’s shows like “Jake and the Neverland
strangely accepting of it. Pirates” present moral lessons on issues like loyalty
and honesty while remaining strangely oblivious to
For example, speaking of piracy, isn’t it funny how that fact that pirates actually take other people’s
those “don’t steal movies by downloading them stuff without asking!
illegally” adverts preach against stealing just before
You and I may not be able to do much about state
capture but we can take responsibility for our own
attitudes and behaviours. Stealing even a peppermint
makes us a thief, and God has this to say to thieves:
“Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him
labour, doing honest work with his own hands, so
that he may have something to share with anyone in
need.” (Ephesians 4:28) That’s something we can all
do, and teach our children to do - and please let me
know if anyone tries to sell you a battered old safe.

6 DPL
8 DPL
6 DPL
issue 11 2022
issue 10 2022
8 DPL issue 2 2023
issue 5 2022
8 DPL issue 11 2022
6 DPL issue 10 2022
8 DPL issue 5 2022
30 DPL issue 10 2023