Welcome to another edition of Things Unseen.

This is our second week thinking about the Ten Commandments, and today we're thinking

about number eight, you shall not steal.

Have you ever wondered why the Ten Commandments have so many negatives in them?

I think there are 12 You Shall Not plus one no, and that's a lot of what people nowadays

call negativity.

And I know it's very counter-cultural today to say it, but I'm going to say it.

Negativity can be very positive for your spiritual health. Yes, of course, there are negative

thoughts and feelings that are harmful. But in the Ten Commandments, God is teaching us not to throw the baby out with

the bathwater. He's saying, there are some things you need to be negative about because

they will destroy you or someone else, and perhaps both. Here are two reflections, I think,

may help us here.

The first is this.

Why all this negative language?

Well, it's the clearest and simplest way to put things, isn't it?

I mean, I'm sure even Einstein's dad didn't sit him down when he was three and explain

how electricity works to stop him pushing a screwdriver into

the electric socket. Presumably, Father Einstein just said, Albert, don't do that. There'll be time

enough for Albert to learn how electricity works. But if Albert sticks his little screwdriver into the socket, especially if he's visiting the United Kingdom,

Mrs. Einstein's going to be calling for the emergency services.

And little Albert's going to be wishing he'd listened to his father's negativity.

And the same is true of the Ten Commandments.

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