Before I even get started or any further go as the elder preacher down south would say, I will be the first to admit, this is something that I have personally struggled with. What I can say without a doubt that I have painfully dealt with this issue, come to realize the folly of my ways and actions not only personally but in the context of ministry, asked God for forgiveness in not being a better steward of what He had already entrusted to me, and made a viable action plan for corrective and redemptive engagement.
Not too long ago I had opportunity to be in the cubicle of a car salesman as he was taking an application to purchase a car. While there I read a homemade sign hung up in his little office space conveniently placed near where the prospective customer would sit. It declared
"the car you are thinking abut purchasing today but will will till tomorrow is the same car someone else came in and looked at yesterday and will be purchasing today."
Every day we are bombarded with stimuli on how much better and improved our lives would be if we just had this gadget or gizmo. How the doors of opportunity would fly open if we just dressed better, drove a better car, lived in a nicer neighborhood. How our advancement to a place of promise, prosperity and purpose is just an arm reach away and only accessible if we are willing to go into debt to get there. But it is something that must be done right now. Right away. While the iron is hot, before someone else comes in and takes what you were looking at away.
I want to share with you something that God told me many years ago but I only in later years truly understood. The Scripture in Proverbs 22:7 says that the borrower is servant to the lender. But when you read it in context a more clearer picture emerges.
Proverbs 22 is the also known as the Good Name chapter. Those of us in the church are familiar with it because of the injunction to train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. But we rarely learn that scripture is deeply embedded in a proverb saturated with solid stewardship advice. To keep our good name. To be prudent. That the Lord blessed those that are humble and fear Him. To not rob the poor. To be diligent in business.
Surrounding that catch scripture of training a child in the way he should go, and foolishness being bound in the heart of a child is the overarching theme of the Proverb writer: Stewardship.
When we borrow we put ourselves is a negative debt position, willingly choosing bondage over freedom. There is nothing wrong with having, but to incur debt as a means to make a show to an outside world is crippling the joy out of our testimonies and the life out of so many of our ministries. It decimates relationships. It brings governments to a standstill. This out of control got to have it now mindset is even crippling our churches. Rather than pay as we go, own what we got, and live reasonably within our means, we steadily go deeper in the hole trying to show forth like we have already arrived. No wonder we have to raise 15 offerings and tarry till midnight until that certain amount is reached. That is not the reach of faith beloved, it is bad stewardship.
You never know if you are going to truly pay it back. Your plans may get torpedoed by a number of different situations. Things you have no control over, yet still make you look like a deadbeat. For example I have had checks that took way longer to clear than I thought, or that bounced which left me struggling to pay another bill that was due. It didn't matter I had the money but it hadn't cleared. Or that someone else has messed up their budget which in turn messed up mine. What mattered is I was late on the bill, period. Excuses sound hollow to anyone collecting a debt, whether they be friend or foe. You should resolve today to be debt free asap! It starts with a prayer, purpose plan and patience.
Pray that God forgives you for the waste of resources He has already given you, wisdom to use wisely whatever He is willing to entrust to you again. No matter when He gives and how much it is. Remember it actuality 100 percent of it is His. Zero percent of it is yours. Touch sparingly, use wisely and always for God's glory.
Purpose - know that the purpose of being debt free is that you can now allocate resources that were previously used in keeping the debt collectors away to sowing seeds of faith for Kingdom work, wherever it may be and whenever God so says. ***I understand there are positive debt scenarios, especially for those that are investors. This post is aimed at those who are more consumers and takers than investors and builders.***
Plan - He who aims at nothing, hits it every time. Know how much you owe, Know what it will take, Stay on top of it. Yes it is embarrassing at first to total up everything you owe, what it will take, and what you have wasted, but it is necessary for your deliverance.
Patience - it will definitely take time. You did not get in this bind overnight, and you won't get out in a day. Work it out slow and steady for that is what will win the race.
God has already given us what we need. He has given seed to the sower, rained on the just as well as the unjust, and harvest in due season. Our issue is we neglect what He has already given in favor of what we desire or what we see someone else has. How do we expect God to make a miracle out of the mess we have made with the money he has already given? We expect Him to bless us with a new ride and we don't even attempt to clean up or take care of the one we have now. e pray for a house and we can't keep the lights on in the apartment we have or keep it halfway clean? We can't wait to get to our new station or ministry assignment so we can really do what He wants us to do, yet those we currently serve get the crumbs that are left over as we drool for greener pastures and more dollars.
We have to do better. Let's not wait to the New Year to make a resolution. The change starts now.
