Sunday Thought 23

It’s been a rough couple of weeks for our family. First, my brother-in-law passed away, then my whole family got sick. My wife and I were especially hit hard – 2 weeks of upper respiratory junk plus sinus and ear infections. Yuck!

Anyway, today’s thought is about lending. Obviously we have all been reading about the “credit crunch” and the lack of available funds to borrow and how this is crippling the economy. What I find interesting is the biblical perspective on lending and borrowing. The Bible does not forbid borrowing (although some would have you believe that), but it does say that borrowing is not always wise. The Bible, however, prefers that you be a lender not a borrower.

In fact, one of the blessings promised by God for being obedient to His ways is that you will be a lender. Deuteronomy 15:6 reads “The Lord your God shall bless you as He has promised you, and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; and you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.”

As noted above, whether it is a nation or an individual, the borrower is the “slave” of the lender. Borrowing is so common today that we forget this aspect of it – that the lender has control over the borrower. So much control in fact, that he can take your pledge away – i.e. your car, or even your house if you fail to pay.

It is a sign of blessing to be a lender, but not a sign of blessing to be a borrower. Just something to think about before we sign a pledge to pay for borrowed money.