Debt
Dear Sisters,
"The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously." Psalm 37:21
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed." Psalm 37:25-26
It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter. For I have seen many fall into the trap of bankruptcy and think that they can walk away unscathed. What we think affects what we do. That is why it is so very important that we are in the Word of God daily. We need His Words. The absorbtion of His Words in our minds will affect what we do.
The world teaches that a man can declare bankruptcy and be free from his debts. The Bible teaches, "Let no debt remain outstanding." The world teaches to buy all you want when you need it at another's expense. The Bible teaches, "Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline, and understanding." The world teaches that once your bankruptcy is declared, you may live your life as you did before with not a worry about who you owe. The Bible teaches, "The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble."
Bankruptcy. It is a word now that Christians are not ashamed to utter. Along with non-christians we have bought into this world's lies that we must have what we want when we want it at another's expense. No restraint whatsoever. Even though we may not believe that when we are charging and borrowing, it is so when we no longer consider paying it back. Years ago our great grandparents would have never considered bankruptcy. They would rather have sold everything they had than to bring this word on their good name. Today we have Christians declaring bankruptcy while their children are still involved in organized sports, or while they take vacations, or while they have private music lessons, or while they send their children to camp or private schools, or while they continue to eat out, or while they take their clothing to the cleaners, or while they continue to buy what they think they need, or while they pay to have their cars washed, or while they buy whatever they desire at the grocery store, or while they make many long distant phone calls, or while they operate two vehicles, and/or while they keep everything they "own" without a thought of paying back the debt it took to get it into their house. Even when they get back on their feet financially, their thoughts are not toward paying off their debt. Yes, it is their debt. Whatever was charged, someone else has paid for it. It is owed. I have seen believers declare bankruptcy on other believers and then go on an extended vacation overseas years later. It does not fit into God's Word. What does it teach our children? It is of much more value to our children to pull them aside and say, "Son, I have really blown it financially. God forgive me and help me to pay back what I owe. Son, it is going to be tough for us the next few years. I need your help to pay back what I owe. This is how you can help me. I have to pull you out of piano. I have to pull you off the soccer team. I have to pull you out of your private school. We won't be vacationing for a while. We're going to have to sell the second car and many other things. We're not going to eat out. We're going to stay out of the stores and stop buying. We're going to eat a little differently as we cut down on our food bill considerably. We're going to use our car less to save on gas. We might have to shut the phone down. We're going to have to move. We're going to try to find some yard work on Saturdays to get this debt down. Will you help me? I'm going to need your help so much." When we approach our children for their help and they are part of our team, this becomes strength for our children. Then when they get older and are tempted to charge and get into debt, they will remember the "lean years" and hard work of paying back debt and be more apt to not fall into credit temptation. It will also teach them the value of work. The value of honesty. The value of debt repayment. The value of a good name. A name that speaks discipline even in the face of adversity. For we not only affect our children but ourselves as well. An affect that will "speak" to the generations following us. For our children will speak to our grandchildren about the time they had to help pay back the family's debt. It will be imbedded in their minds because their hands helped do the work to see it cleared and their hearts were taught restraint. Just as they enjoyed the prosperity of the family, so now they must learn to be a help in the lean years of the family. Somehow the lean years teach far more than we could ever realize and become sweeter in their minds, for they pull a family close together. God uses our weakness for His Strength.
"The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously." Psalm 37:21
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed." Psalm 37:25-26
It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter. For I have seen many fall into the trap of bankruptcy and think that they can walk away unscathed. What we think affects what we do. That is why it is so very important that we are in the Word of God daily. We need His Words. The absorbtion of His Words in our minds will affect what we do.
The world teaches that a man can declare bankruptcy and be free from his debts. The Bible teaches, "Let no debt remain outstanding." The world teaches to buy all you want when you need it at another's expense. The Bible teaches, "Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline, and understanding." The world teaches that once your bankruptcy is declared, you may live your life as you did before with not a worry about who you owe. The Bible teaches, "The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble."
Bankruptcy. It is a word now that Christians are not ashamed to utter. Along with non-christians we have bought into this world's lies that we must have what we want when we want it at another's expense. No restraint whatsoever. Even though we may not believe that when we are charging and borrowing, it is so when we no longer consider paying it back. Years ago our great grandparents would have never considered bankruptcy. They would rather have sold everything they had than to bring this word on their good name. Today we have Christians declaring bankruptcy while their children are still involved in organized sports, or while they take vacations, or while they have private music lessons, or while they send their children to camp or private schools, or while they continue to eat out, or while they take their clothing to the cleaners, or while they continue to buy what they think they need, or while they pay to have their cars washed, or while they buy whatever they desire at the grocery store, or while they make many long distant phone calls, or while they operate two vehicles, and/or while they keep everything they "own" without a thought of paying back the debt it took to get it into their house. Even when they get back on their feet financially, their thoughts are not toward paying off their debt. Yes, it is their debt. Whatever was charged, someone else has paid for it. It is owed. I have seen believers declare bankruptcy on other believers and then go on an extended vacation overseas years later. It does not fit into God's Word. What does it teach our children? It is of much more value to our children to pull them aside and say, "Son, I have really blown it financially. God forgive me and help me to pay back what I owe. Son, it is going to be tough for us the next few years. I need your help to pay back what I owe. This is how you can help me. I have to pull you out of piano. I have to pull you off the soccer team. I have to pull you out of your private school. We won't be vacationing for a while. We're going to have to sell the second car and many other things. We're not going to eat out. We're going to stay out of the stores and stop buying. We're going to eat a little differently as we cut down on our food bill considerably. We're going to use our car less to save on gas. We might have to shut the phone down. We're going to have to move. We're going to try to find some yard work on Saturdays to get this debt down. Will you help me? I'm going to need your help so much." When we approach our children for their help and they are part of our team, this becomes strength for our children. Then when they get older and are tempted to charge and get into debt, they will remember the "lean years" and hard work of paying back debt and be more apt to not fall into credit temptation. It will also teach them the value of work. The value of honesty. The value of debt repayment. The value of a good name. A name that speaks discipline even in the face of adversity. For we not only affect our children but ourselves as well. An affect that will "speak" to the generations following us. For our children will speak to our grandchildren about the time they had to help pay back the family's debt. It will be imbedded in their minds because their hands helped do the work to see it cleared and their hearts were taught restraint. Just as they enjoyed the prosperity of the family, so now they must learn to be a help in the lean years of the family. Somehow the lean years teach far more than we could ever realize and become sweeter in their minds, for they pull a family close together. God uses our weakness for His Strength.
When we see our children really trying hard to obey our words and to overcome a weakness that
they might have, doesn't that just make us want to help them all the more? When God sees His
children trying really hard to obey His Word and to overcome the weakness of charging too
much and going into bankruptcy, doesn't He want to help them pay that money back? You can
be sure He does. For your good name reflects His Name.
"Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD." Psalm 112:6-7
Debbie Reynolds acquired a huge amount of debt while married to a former husband. She has said that she did not rack up the debt, but that he freely did. He walked away from it all when he left their marriage. She could have easily declared bankruptcy as well. But she said she grew up in a home where one always paid back their debts. It has taken her years and years to pay back the debts accumulated by her former husband. But she has done it. I do not know if she is a Christian, but I do know this, she is practicing God's Word in this instance. It is not the easy way. It is the way of discipline. It is so unusual in our culture that many have written about her debt repayment.
"Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD." Psalm 112:6-7
Debbie Reynolds acquired a huge amount of debt while married to a former husband. She has said that she did not rack up the debt, but that he freely did. He walked away from it all when he left their marriage. She could have easily declared bankruptcy as well. But she said she grew up in a home where one always paid back their debts. It has taken her years and years to pay back the debts accumulated by her former husband. But she has done it. I do not know if she is a Christian, but I do know this, she is practicing God's Word in this instance. It is not the easy way. It is the way of discipline. It is so unusual in our culture that many have written about her debt repayment.
Our God is bigger than any debt. He canceled the biggest debt man had at the cross! He can get
you out of any debt. Any debt. I think the problem is we don't get into His Word enough to know
how great He is and to know what He thinks. For if we know how great He is, we know this:
"If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with His Hand." Psalm 37:23-24
We have all stumbled. Just as we grab hold of our children when they stumble and help right them on their feet again, so our Heavenly Father wishes to grab hold of us and set us upright again. The question is: Do we believe that He can do it? Or is it easier to walk the way of the world? I can confidently tell you that His discipline is not easy at the time, but, oh, it is so very profitable and lasting. The easy way of the world will one day turn around and bite the hand that feeds it. It's deception blinds us resulting in more unprofitableness than we could ever realize. His Word enlightens us taking the blinders off and moving us toward true life.
Bankruptcy. You will never find that word proclaimed in the Bible. "Let no debt remain outstanding." This proclamation is life.
Love,
Laine
"I love you, LORD, my strength." Psalm 18:1
"If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with His Hand." Psalm 37:23-24
We have all stumbled. Just as we grab hold of our children when they stumble and help right them on their feet again, so our Heavenly Father wishes to grab hold of us and set us upright again. The question is: Do we believe that He can do it? Or is it easier to walk the way of the world? I can confidently tell you that His discipline is not easy at the time, but, oh, it is so very profitable and lasting. The easy way of the world will one day turn around and bite the hand that feeds it. It's deception blinds us resulting in more unprofitableness than we could ever realize. His Word enlightens us taking the blinders off and moving us toward true life.
Bankruptcy. You will never find that word proclaimed in the Bible. "Let no debt remain outstanding." This proclamation is life.
Love,
Laine
"I love you, LORD, my strength." Psalm 18:1
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