but there is safety in refusing to do so.” (NRSV)
“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)
We live in a country that is encased in debt. Rather than live within our means, as a nation, we live in debt. To make matters worse, the United States is in debt so that it can give money to other countries. (Doesn’t that seem insane?) While we, as individuals, may not have much control over what our government does, we do have control over what we do. We can choose, even at this moment, to get ourselves out of debt and to leave within the means that Father God has given us.
Proverbs is talking about co-signing for someone else’s loan. Why would we do that? To help out, of course. But is encouraging someone else to be in debt really helping them? On the other hand, as Christians, we are commanded to be generous.
Our Lord Jesus told us to lend to those who wish to borrow (Matthew 5:42). But His idea of “lending” might be different than ours. He 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 NRSV).
Lend . . . expecting nothing in return. In other words, when someone asks for something, we are to give it. If it comes back, fine. If it doesn’t, fine. This requires that we learn not to be attached to our possessions nor to depend upon them to supply our daily needs. It moves our being outside of this world and into the hand of the Father. If He truly provides for us on a day-by-day basis, then we don’t need to worry whether or not we have our stuff.
However, if this is true, why then would the Lord tell us not to help someone by cosigning for them? Because that commits future resources and we have no idea if we will have those resources. We can give out of what we have today because we know that we have it. But we cannot give out of our future expectations because we have no guarantee for tomorrow (except, as believers, for heaven). Additionally, helping someone get into debt isn’t helping them. Much better that we give to them out of what we have than to encourage them to take out a loan that they already know they may not have the ability to pay.
So, for me, it comes down to this: Am I disciplined enough to make sure that, out of God’s provision for me, I have enough left to be generous with others? Just because I have “extra” money doesn’t mean that it’s there for me to spend (to get that one thing I really wanted to have . . . but didn’t necessarily need). “Extra” money is for the purpose of giving to others, providing for their needs, looking out for their welfare. After all, that’s what being a Christian is supposed to be about, giving to others as God has given to me!
© 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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