Proverbs 22:26-27 — Wise Saying #4
READ THIS: Proverbs 22:26-27, Wise Saying #4
26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; 27 if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.
Verse 26 is a way of saying, "don't be the one responsible for paying someone's else's debts." The way it is phrased shows that you are making a promise and taking on a responsibility that is not yours (this situation is known often as "co-signing" a loan). The result of this action can be that you have to pay more than you bargained for, shown in verse 27. How much money you have is never guaranteed, and at any point your financial situation could change, so it simply is not wise to be the person responsible for other people's debts.
All of this is something we have learned in Proverbs 6:1 and 17:8. Proverbs 6:1 also helps us know what we should do if we find ourselves in a situation like what's described in these verses, read more here. That devo link helps explain more about what a proverb is and further explains why co-singing is a bad idea!
Very good questions you asked. Now you need to answer them for us. I’m interested in hearing the answers.
ReplyDeleteThis has to be MrEarl....hi, it's Liz. There isn't necessarily a right answer all the time, but here's how I would answer:
Delete1. If agreeing to pay off someone else's debt is so bad...then why did Jesus agree to pay off OUR debt?
Verse 27 talks about how if we lack the means to pay, we will lose everything, and that is a big reason why we should not agree to take on someone's debt when we don't know if we can actually afford it.
Jesus knew He could afford it. As God, He had the power to live the perfect life and to die in payment for us. God actually made the promise to die for our debts way back in Genesis 15. He makes a deal with Abraham, and then His Spirit walks through slain animals. That was the way deals were made back in the day. The less powerful person would walk through slain animals as if to say, "If this deal is broken, let me be like these animals." But, instead of letting Abraham walk through it, God walked through it, saying that if the deal was broken, HE would be like the slain animals...killed and cut up. And that's exactly what happened.
From the second God walked through those animals, He knew that we would not be able to pay our debt, and that He was the only who could. So, He walked through it, knowing the price. He wasn't taken by surprise and scrambling to come up with payment like the person portrayed in these proverbs.
Also, it is important to remember that a proverb is a piece of GENERAL wisdom, so sometimes it isn't a good idea to follow it, although 9 times out of 10 it is a good idea, so that's something to keep in mind! That is further explained in the linked devo above!
2. If we are supposed to look like Jesus but also listen to the wisdom of the Bible, then how should we apply these verses to our lives?
This is something Dan and I say a lot....you need to know the COST of something before you COMMIT to it. Do not agree to something unless you understand what is being asked of you. When you commit your life to Jesus, be fully aware the cost that comes at. When you cover a debt for someone, understand the cost that you are agreeing to pay. We are called to be cheerful givers...set yourself up to be cheerful in giving and not terribly surprsised!!! So....we must DISCERN when to agree to help someone in that way. That kind of discernment is helped a lot when we pray to God and when we ask Christian community for advice/prayer/accountability.