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Day 15 Proverbs 6:1-6 Proverbs 6:1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, 2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. 3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. 4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. 5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler. Lending and borrowing is a way of life. Television commercials are full of loan ads, and then there are those who borrow from friends and relatives and promise to pay back as soon as they get their paycheck. How often though, do you see the money you lent your friend or relative again? Or maybe it was you who borrowed and has yet to pay back on the promise you made. Solomon told his son not to borrow from anyone because it made him a slave to that person. His mind would be full of the fact he had borrowed the money and the need to pay it back. He told his son that if he had borrowed to go to his friend and pay it back immediately before another moment passed and then everything would be right once again between he and his friend. The same is true for us. As soon as we pay back what we borrowed, our conscience is cleared and we are free to enjoy the friendship once again, and we will sleep better at night. Paul told the Roman Christians what kind of debt was acceptable and how we were to take care of what we owe to anyone. Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. 8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loves another hath fulfilled the law. Love is the only debt we owe anyone, and it really isn’t a debt because it isn’t hard to love anyone, even your enemies if you put your mind to it. It would be wonderful if people heeded the wisdom of Solomon when it came to lending and borrowing. Imagine not being in debt to anyone ever again. Your life would take on a new meaning and you would erase at least one stress from your life. Let’s pray: Father, help me heed the wisdom of Solomon when it comes to paying my debts and let me have just the one debt to love my neighbor as myself and fulfill the law as Paul advised. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 21 September 2016 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay