if you have bound yourself to another,
you are snared by the utterance of your lips,
caught by the words of your mouth.
So do this, my child, and save yourself,
for you have come into your neighbor’s power:
go, hurry, and plead with your neighbor.
Give your eyes no sleep
and your eyelids no slumber;
save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter,
like a bird from the hand of the fowler.” NRSV
Solomon talks here about making a promise for another, in our terms, guaranteeing a loan for someone else. Cosigning a loan for a friend or a neighbor. He talks about this same thing in two other places (once about a stranger and once about a neighbor):
“To guarantee loans for a stranger brings trouble,
but there is safety in refusing to do so.” (Proverbs 11:15)
“It is senseless to give a pledge,
to become surety for a neighbor.” (Proverbs 17:18)
It seems like a good thing to help someone out, someone who is in financial trouble and needs our help. After all, they are the ones who will be paying the debt, right? We are simply helping by signing, by lending our “credit worthiness.” But, of course, we all know that isn’t the case. If we co-sign for someone, we are agreeing the pay the amount if they don’t. There are other such business deals, ones that are similar in their impact. “Partnership” deals where two or more families go in together to buy property often mean that we alone could end up being responsible for the debt. Going into business with someone else is also similar.
That isn’t to say that we shouldn’t do those things, but the Bible is very clear about Christians doing their best to stay out of debt. Period. Why? Because with one fell swoop (as we are seeing in this economy), we can lose even the house in which we live:
“Do not be one of those who give pledges,
who become surety for debts.
If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should your bed be taken from under you?” (Proverbs 22:26-27)
But there is a stronger, more spiritually-based reason. If we are so tied up in debt (and in promises to pay for others), we may not have anything left to give when the need arises. I love what Jesus said:
“If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.” (Luke 6:34-35)
Basically, the thought is that, if we have it and someone else needs it, we give it! If that person returns it, great. If they don’t, then that’s also great. The fact is, it’s just stuff anyway . . . and someday it’s all going to burn. Better to give with a generous spirit than to harbor bitterness in our hearts about what the person owes us.
I think about the parable in Matthew 18:
“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sisterk from your heart” (23-35 NRSV).
Anything—anything—that someone else might owe us is nothing compared to what we owe the Lord Jesus Christ. And anything that we might give to them is nothing compared to what He has given us! Where is our trust in His provision, in His generosity, in His love for us? Is our “god” so small that we think that we can somehow outgive what He will give back to us? Of course not! So rather than indebting ourselves by cosigning, how much better that we simply give to that needy person? “Silver and gold have I none” (Acts 3:6), but what I have I will give you . . . a place to live, clothes to wear, food to eat, a ride to work, a friend to listen. And ultimately, the witness of the Holy Spirit in our lives who also loves this person in need.
© 2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).
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