A Life the Thief Cannot Steal

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” — John 10:10 (NRSVUE)

There are forces in this world that steal life. Some are loud, like war, injustice, exploitation, systems that grind people down. Others are quiet, like fear, shame, exhaustion, and the quiet ache of not feeling like we are enough.

When Jesus talks about “the thief,” He’s naming all the things that keep us from flourishing — the fears, lies, wounds, and pressures that pull us away from the abundant life God desires for us. These are the forces that deter us from the life Jesus came to give. And this abundant life reflects the same heart we hear in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you…” — plans rooted in hope, in future, in flourishing. 

And Jesus is painfully honest: the thief is real. He doesn’t hide the truth that the thief’s sole purpose is to steal and destroy. The thief never breaks in to give something good, but only to disrupt, distort, and diminish. The thief diminishes the image of God in us and in our neighbors. 

But Jesus does not end with the thief. He doesn’t leave us in despair, but He gives us Himself — the Shepherd who comes not to take, but to give. He comes to free us from what the thief has stolen and instead give us new life. Not simply a life restored from what was taken — but a life that is so much more. 

The life Christ gives is not the world’s version of abundance. It is not wealth. It is not ease. It is not getting everything we want. It is to flourish in freedom — not the world’s version of independence, but the freedom Christ gives: freedom from fear, from shame, from everything that steals life — and to flourish in dignity and relationship, right relationship with God and our neighbors. 

In this flourishing life, we become aligned with God’s heart, rooted in His presence, and—like a tree planted in rich soil—receive the nourishment we need to grow deep roots and bear good fruit. And Jesus reminds us that this fruit doesn’t stay small or hidden; it multiplies — “some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” When we flourish, so do our neighbors. The fruit God grows in us becomes nourishment, encouragement, and blessing for the people around us. 

Shepherd of Life, You know the thieves that steal our peace and the burdens that weigh down Your children. Root us in You until our lives flourish with the quiet abundance You promise. Align our hearts with Your heart, our ways with Your ways, and our lives with Your life. Make us people of compassion and generosity, people who help others flourish through the fruit You grow in us. Give us the life no thief can steal. Amen. 

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Tim