“Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.” (Proverbs 22:7, NLT)
A man was once boasting to an acquaintance, “We have a whole roomful of furniture from France that goes back to Louis the 14th.”
“That’s nothing,” replied the other. “We’ve got a whole house full of furniture from Sears that goes back to Harry on the first.”
When people mention debts in church, usually it’s from the Lord’s Prayer: “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors…”. This meditation is not about the “sins” type of debts. Its about abusing your financial picture. What is shocking to me is that people do not realize the damage that debts can do to mind, heart, and soul. Companies love to push debt upon consumers. They get the cash up front from the sales. In many cases, the banks love to push debt upon consumers, because they reap the benefit of interest rates long term. Beware the acquisition of debts. They suck the very life out of your heart and soul. In almost every case, debts can be minimized, and larger purchases bought through the generous use of personal savings.
“Personal debt in the U.S. is increasing at the rate of $1000 per second and consumer installment debt has mushroomed to a point where it takes approximately $1 out of every $4 that consumers earn after taxes to keep up the payments—not including the home mortgage. For over 250,000 Americans, the burden of debt is so great that he/she declares bankruptcy. There are even more serious consequences of this financial tension created by debt: 56% of all divorces are a result of financial tension in the home.” (Howard Dayton in “Homemade”, June 1986)
You would think that people would be wary of incurring large debts due to the inherent dangers. If I said to a married couple that they have a 50% chance of damaging their marriage if they did something, most people would simply avoid it. Sadly, this does not seem to apply to debts. Many couples are too eager to enter into debt. All too many begin their marriage in debt as the costs for wedding ceremonies and wedding receptions tops $33,900 on average in 2019. Why do human beings rush into debt? Why do they not “save for a rainy day”? Over 3000 years ago, the Bible even warned followers of God to avoid debts altogether.
In our scripture reading for today, the Bible delivers words of wisdom concerning debts. Our scripture in Proverbs contains two interesting tidbits: “the rich rule over the poor” and “the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). Taken at face value, both speak about the importance of not becoming poor, especially through your own “borrowing”. When you borrow money, the person or bank expecting a return on that investment becomes the one you owe. You now work for that person from whom you borrowed or from the bank you asked for a loan. Until that loan is repaid, you are indebted to that person or institution.
When Serena went off to college, she paid for her tuition with student loans. Then, while in school, she acquired her first credit card. Within six months, she had several thousand dollars of debt on that credit card. After graduation, she got her first job. The day before she began her job, she purchased a new car, telling herself that it was safer to use that car to get back and forth to work. For three years, Serena faithfully paid back her loans. However, in her fourth year of work, she lost her job. For almost a year, she was out of work. Because she had not saved any money, her car was repossessed. She had to take a job half a mile away and walk back and forth to work. The whole while Serena toiled away, she resented the bank for the loss of her car. She was angry at her previous place of employment for her lost job. She even voted as a Socialist because that party advocated for the abolition of student loans. Taken together, everything Serena endured during these first four years of her career was to cover her debts. Rather than buying a cheap car, she chose a new car. Rather than saving money, she had to repay her loans. Rather than choosing a cheaper college with less tuition, she took out student loans to pay for everything at a more expensive private school. Serena was in a debt spiral. Her whole world was revolving around what she owed and what she could not afford. Her own choices and the liberal use of debts controlled most of her thoughts each and every day.
The scripture is absolutely true: “the borrower is servant to the lender”. Serena owed so much money that she could barely keep her head above water financially. When you let debt control your financial picture, it affects so much of your life. It seriously affects your soul.
Did you see how negative Serena became when she was consumed by her debts? Did you see how anger overtook her when she could no longer cover the debts? Rather than see the debts as a mistake, she grew angry that everything didn’t go perfectly for her to pay all her bills with enough to spare. That is the problem with financial debts. So often, they take a terrible toll on your heart and soul. They will cause you to blame the wrong people instead of your own wrong choices. One person described large debts to me this way: “Debts are like vampires. They suck the very life right out of you.” Believe it or not, debts suck the joy out of your very soul. They may even cause you to blame God for your financial mistakes.
During their mid-twenties, John and Theresa got married. He was a construction worker, and she was a teacher. By the time they were in their late twenties, they already owned their own home with only a small mortgage. Even when their children came along, the two had more than enough money to spare. Then, the family began to go on elaborate vacations to Disney World. Later, John and Theresa bought a Time Share in Florida. Throughout their thirties, the two often went out partying. They went out to bars and night clubs. Despite having three children at home, they often went to casinos to gamble and out to eat at restaurants.
Somewhere along the line, the couple began to put more and more debt on their credit cards to pay for their “fun”. By their mid-thirties, the couple had more than three hundred thousand dollars in debt their home and cars and credit cards. That’s when the fights started. That’s when John started drinking heavily. That’s when their marriage began to suffer. By their early forties, John and Theresa divorced. Thereafter, their kids often were forced to choose between the wishes of their parents. Both parents later remarried and had blended families. That further complicated things. Now, the son won’t talk to his father. One daughter won’t speak to her mother.
John and Theresa were brought up in the church. They married at their church. However, neither attends regularly any longer. From beginning to end, debts and poor financial choices put a strain on this family to the point where everything fell apart. Even the souls of each person in the family have been seriously afflicted.
Spirit-killing debt can start with one poor financial decision. Then, it may become easier and easier to borrow money to fix problems. Soon, the debt spiral may consume and destroy. Like a sin may wreak havoc on a family, debts often do the very same thing. God never wanted it that way. God does not want you to be a servant to your lender. You are to serve God alone.
Part of your relationship with God involves the faithful use of money. Jesus noted this in several of his parables (notably the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:15ff). Why is it that Christians do not see this connection between faith and finances? Why do politicians ignore this truth? Sadly, the world has blinded many to this connection. Don’t let it blind you! Be wary of what debts do to the soul. Be careful how you spend your hard-earned money. A faith in God involves your checkbook as much as it does a hymnal.
“That’s nothing,” replied the other. “We’ve got a whole house full of furniture from Sears that goes back to Harry on the first.”
When people mention debts in church, usually it’s from the Lord’s Prayer: “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors…”. This meditation is not about the “sins” type of debts. Its about abusing your financial picture. What is shocking to me is that people do not realize the damage that debts can do to mind, heart, and soul. Companies love to push debt upon consumers. They get the cash up front from the sales. In many cases, the banks love to push debt upon consumers, because they reap the benefit of interest rates long term. Beware the acquisition of debts. They suck the very life out of your heart and soul. In almost every case, debts can be minimized, and larger purchases bought through the generous use of personal savings.
“Personal debt in the U.S. is increasing at the rate of $1000 per second and consumer installment debt has mushroomed to a point where it takes approximately $1 out of every $4 that consumers earn after taxes to keep up the payments—not including the home mortgage. For over 250,000 Americans, the burden of debt is so great that he/she declares bankruptcy. There are even more serious consequences of this financial tension created by debt: 56% of all divorces are a result of financial tension in the home.” (Howard Dayton in “Homemade”, June 1986)
You would think that people would be wary of incurring large debts due to the inherent dangers. If I said to a married couple that they have a 50% chance of damaging their marriage if they did something, most people would simply avoid it. Sadly, this does not seem to apply to debts. Many couples are too eager to enter into debt. All too many begin their marriage in debt as the costs for wedding ceremonies and wedding receptions tops $33,900 on average in 2019. Why do human beings rush into debt? Why do they not “save for a rainy day”? Over 3000 years ago, the Bible even warned followers of God to avoid debts altogether.
In our scripture reading for today, the Bible delivers words of wisdom concerning debts. Our scripture in Proverbs contains two interesting tidbits: “the rich rule over the poor” and “the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). Taken at face value, both speak about the importance of not becoming poor, especially through your own “borrowing”. When you borrow money, the person or bank expecting a return on that investment becomes the one you owe. You now work for that person from whom you borrowed or from the bank you asked for a loan. Until that loan is repaid, you are indebted to that person or institution.
When Serena went off to college, she paid for her tuition with student loans. Then, while in school, she acquired her first credit card. Within six months, she had several thousand dollars of debt on that credit card. After graduation, she got her first job. The day before she began her job, she purchased a new car, telling herself that it was safer to use that car to get back and forth to work. For three years, Serena faithfully paid back her loans. However, in her fourth year of work, she lost her job. For almost a year, she was out of work. Because she had not saved any money, her car was repossessed. She had to take a job half a mile away and walk back and forth to work. The whole while Serena toiled away, she resented the bank for the loss of her car. She was angry at her previous place of employment for her lost job. She even voted as a Socialist because that party advocated for the abolition of student loans. Taken together, everything Serena endured during these first four years of her career was to cover her debts. Rather than buying a cheap car, she chose a new car. Rather than saving money, she had to repay her loans. Rather than choosing a cheaper college with less tuition, she took out student loans to pay for everything at a more expensive private school. Serena was in a debt spiral. Her whole world was revolving around what she owed and what she could not afford. Her own choices and the liberal use of debts controlled most of her thoughts each and every day.
The scripture is absolutely true: “the borrower is servant to the lender”. Serena owed so much money that she could barely keep her head above water financially. When you let debt control your financial picture, it affects so much of your life. It seriously affects your soul.
Did you see how negative Serena became when she was consumed by her debts? Did you see how anger overtook her when she could no longer cover the debts? Rather than see the debts as a mistake, she grew angry that everything didn’t go perfectly for her to pay all her bills with enough to spare. That is the problem with financial debts. So often, they take a terrible toll on your heart and soul. They will cause you to blame the wrong people instead of your own wrong choices. One person described large debts to me this way: “Debts are like vampires. They suck the very life right out of you.” Believe it or not, debts suck the joy out of your very soul. They may even cause you to blame God for your financial mistakes.
During their mid-twenties, John and Theresa got married. He was a construction worker, and she was a teacher. By the time they were in their late twenties, they already owned their own home with only a small mortgage. Even when their children came along, the two had more than enough money to spare. Then, the family began to go on elaborate vacations to Disney World. Later, John and Theresa bought a Time Share in Florida. Throughout their thirties, the two often went out partying. They went out to bars and night clubs. Despite having three children at home, they often went to casinos to gamble and out to eat at restaurants.
Somewhere along the line, the couple began to put more and more debt on their credit cards to pay for their “fun”. By their mid-thirties, the couple had more than three hundred thousand dollars in debt their home and cars and credit cards. That’s when the fights started. That’s when John started drinking heavily. That’s when their marriage began to suffer. By their early forties, John and Theresa divorced. Thereafter, their kids often were forced to choose between the wishes of their parents. Both parents later remarried and had blended families. That further complicated things. Now, the son won’t talk to his father. One daughter won’t speak to her mother.
John and Theresa were brought up in the church. They married at their church. However, neither attends regularly any longer. From beginning to end, debts and poor financial choices put a strain on this family to the point where everything fell apart. Even the souls of each person in the family have been seriously afflicted.
Spirit-killing debt can start with one poor financial decision. Then, it may become easier and easier to borrow money to fix problems. Soon, the debt spiral may consume and destroy. Like a sin may wreak havoc on a family, debts often do the very same thing. God never wanted it that way. God does not want you to be a servant to your lender. You are to serve God alone.
Part of your relationship with God involves the faithful use of money. Jesus noted this in several of his parables (notably the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:15ff). Why is it that Christians do not see this connection between faith and finances? Why do politicians ignore this truth? Sadly, the world has blinded many to this connection. Don’t let it blind you! Be wary of what debts do to the soul. Be careful how you spend your hard-earned money. A faith in God involves your checkbook as much as it does a hymnal.