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Credit

Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.

Proverbs 22:7 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.22.7.NLT

“Rule” is good when generously and justly serving the people, so we mustn’t mistake “rule” as always having a negative connotation. This isn’t saying poor is good and rich is bad, or vice versa. It is stating a fact about the relationship. If we are fiscally responsible and wisely steward the gifts and talents given to us, we will be in a position to help others who are not in our position — but whether we lift them up or push them down will determine what our “rule” looks like.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on this verse: “Those that have little will be in subjection to those that have much, because they have dependence upon them, they have received, and expect to receive, support from them: The rich rule over the poor, and too often more than becomes them, with pride and rigour, unlike to God, who, though he be great, yet despises not any. It is part of the affliction of the poor that they must expect to be trampled upon, and part of their duty to be serviceable, as far as they can, to those that are kind to them, and study to be grateful.“

And when we are borrowers, we are accepting the rule of others over us. In general, “borrowing” most of the time isn’t for covering our “needs”. Most of us could have a place to sleep (even if in a shelter or a friend’s couch), and enough food and water to survive and live a very simple life of survival until we work hard enough to save up and pay for things. But we see the way of the world is to sell us loans, credit cards, and payday advances to encourage a “enjoy it today and worry about it tomorrow” mindset that signs over our financial freedom to someone else. This is a hard lesson when learned through foolish financial decisions.

More of Matthew Henry’s commentary on this verse: “Those that are but going behindhand find themselves to lie much at the mercy of those that are before hand: The borrower is servant to the lender, is obliged to him, and must sometimes beg, Have patience with me. Therefore it is part of Israel’s promised happiness that they should lend and borrow, Deu. 28:12. And it should be our endeavour to keep as much as may be out of debt. Some sell their liberty to gratify their luxury.“

More credit/finance related verses can be found here: https://www.openbible.info/topics/credit

Our family has benefited greatly from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University — which should be basic elementary school teaching right after kids learn math, not optional necessarily something that they learn at college age or later in life after having been raided by high interest ands bad decisions. What Dave teaches isn’t radical, it’s elementary. Unfortunately, it is counter culture in the middle of a prosperity and instant gratification world that swirls around us tempting our senses and feelings to buy so many things that we don’t need, but that we want — and that convinces us that we must have it RIGHT NOW even if that means using credit rather than patient planning and saving in order to get it.

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Pressing On

A friend from church, Katie Waters, who leads the 4Kids program at 4 Points Church, recently highlighted this encouraging verse in the Bible App, and it especially caught my heart this morning:

Paul in his letter to the Philippians, recorded in this new testament book of the Bible, makes it clear that he has not yet “arrived” at perfection, but that he is pressing on to possess it — and he reminds us of the most important part, “for which Christ Jesus first possessed me”.

Yes, knowing and believing that Christ Jesus loved us first while we were yet His enemies, and that He did it out of mercy ands grave towards us that eas totally undeserved is the key that truly unlocks the shackles of our old way to a new way, to The Way.

In fact, good Christian lovers of your enemies, we aren’t even striving to live perfectly in the eyes of other people — we are pressing on for more of the old “me” to be burned away by these trying fires and for more of “Christ in me” to be revealed.

Religious people can fake “living clean lives” and justify to themselves and others why they are better than “those people who live filthy lives” — and be no more a true Christian with saving faith — than a crypt that a scam artist might repaint the outside and try to convince a fool to buy as mansion to live in.

You have not arrived at perfection, my friend. Nor are you lowly and forgotten of you whil lady down your life, believe upon Him, and give Him all the glory instead of seeking it for yourself.

How easy it is to fall off either side of the path when we set our eyes upon ourselves — think too highly of ourselves or too likely of ourselves — because we are thinking of OURSELVES!!! The beauty of the gospel is setting our eyes upon Jesus, upon Christ alone our Cornerstone. And in doing that, let the raging fire of His presence in our lives melt away both our pride and our shame to make it about pressing on to Him — not just “towards a better us”, but TO HIM.

Christianity isn’t about “being perfect”, or even “being better”, or even “living best” because all those are about “me”. Christianity is truly about surrendering our old life to allow Christ to live through us, and for Him to get all the glory for His work that He has done both at the cross, upon the throne, and through our lives here on earth.

Yes, this is a “simple fundamental” of the faith and isn’t some earth shattering new revelation or some wise, hidden treasure dug out from hiding — out is clearly on display for our minds to consider. But I wonder how often our mind hearing this repeatedly as a fundamental might have left it buried and undelivered to our hearts for the pressing and the crushing and the humbling repentance to have its way on not just our intellect, but our innermost.

Lord, thank you for everything that is worth anything. Help us to lay it all down for what is truly best. Help us to keep our eyes on you. Comfort us in love with your rod and your staff when we are distracted, and lead us along The Way. Amen.