Many of us have heard the statement of Jesus that says, “The thief only comes to steal, kill and destroy…” but how many of us understand what thieves are prowling around. In the context Jesus is speaking of in John 10, the thief is a false teacher, stealing your understanding of God.

Proverbs 24:30-33 says, “I went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest; So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.”

The thief in Proverbs 24 is a lazy man. So we have a false teacher and a lazy man. As I put these two together I was reminded of a line in the book I am reading called Melchizedek: The New Millennium Priesthood by Nita Johnson. She says speaking of the humility of Joseph, “When you are clothed in humility, the enemy cannot steal your wealth.”

False teachers are those who think they know the truth and are not listening to anyone else and what God is showing them for they have already decided they know the truth. No matter how wrong they are, they will continue to teach what they believe, even if the Messiah is standing right in front of them.

Lazy people are those who do not want to do the work to listen or learn anything new. They are comfortable with what they know and would rather stay asleep than hear truth about something they don’t know. Ignorance is bliss for them, but it has put them to sleep and neglect has set in because of it.

The answer to both of these thieves is humility and as Nita says, “When you are clothed in humility, the enemy cannot steal your wealth.” Wealth is more than money, it includes time, relationships, opportunities, understanding, knowledge. Deuteronomy 8 says, the Lord is the one who gives us the power to get wealth. Proverbs says in all your getting get understanding. Humility, which is being teachable, is what keeps the thief from robbing you. Humble yourself and watch the thief leave. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org