The Bible Meets Life

Transcription

1 The Point Avoid financial obligations that could sink you. The Passage Proverbs 6:1-5; 22:7 The Bible Meets Life We live in a culture of instant gratification. We don t like to wait, and we want things now. Credit cards and loans can make it easy to get something now, even if we can t afford it yet. Although a debt may seem manageable now, circumstances can quickly change and work against us. The Bible offers dire warning and shows us the consequences of foolishly going into debt or taking on financial obligations irresponsibly. The Setting Proverbs 6:1-5 is part of a section dealing with three types of behavior one should avoid (Proverbs 6:1-19), which is itself part of the larger body of The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel (1:1 24:34). In Proverbs 6, Solomon warns against becoming involved in legal entanglements and indebtedness (6:1-5), against being lazy (vv. 6-11), and against becoming a person who loves causing conflict and dissension (vv ). The section ends with a list of seven things which are detestable to the Lord, actions which harm both the intended victim and the perpetrator as well (vv ). Proverb 22:7, also a proverb of Solomon, is part of a section of proverbs dealing with various topics and continues the theme of the danger of indebtedness. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 95

2 What does the Bible say? Proverbs 6:1-5; 22:7 (HCSB) Security (6:1) The individual who put up the security for the loan became responsible for the debt and could have his assets seized to repay the debt if the debtor defaulted. An agreement (6:1) The Hebrew for entered into an agreement can be literally translated struck your palm. This was probably a custom used to make a transaction between two people official. 6:1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor or entered into an agreement with a stranger, 2 you have been trapped by the words of your lips ensnared by the words of your mouth. 3 Do this, then, my son, and free yourself, for you have put yourself in your neighbor s power: Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor. 4 Don t give sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. 5 Escape like a gazelle from a hunter, like a bird from a fowler s trap. 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender. 96 SESSION 2

3 THE POINT Avoid financial obligations that could sink you. GET INTO THE STUDY DISCUSS: Invite your group members to discuss Question 1 on page 75 of the Personal Study Guide (PSG): What impulse buys tempt you the most? Allow time for each person to respond (a response now will encourage them to respond to other questions later in the study). 10 minutes Notes TIP: If group members tend to give short, oneword responses, ask them to elaborate or explain their answers. SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 76): Impulse buying. Must-have purchases. A good deal. Surely we ve all given in to one or more of these only to experience buyer s remorse. And unfortunately, a lot of us have put ourselves in debt in the process. A young adult sees a sports car he s just got to have. A few months later, his job changes and he needs a more practical car but he s stuck making car payments four more years. SAY: Solomon, the writer of much of the Book of Proverbs, warned about risky financial agreements that lead to our own long-term detriment. In fact, he equated these financial obligations to traps that threaten to ensnare us. ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): To illustrate the nature of traps and entanglements in a humorous manner, show a short video clip from the movie, Home Alone 1 (1990). Accidentally left at home while his family travels for Christmas, 8-year-old Kevin McCallister becomes an expert of setting numerous traps to defend his home from would-be burglars. Begin playing the movie at 1:19 and stop at 1:21:18. Share with your group that unwise financial decisions can trap us, but we don t have to fall for them. Godly wisdom equips us to identify and avoid these snares before we get entangled. GUIDE: Call the group s attention to The Point on page 76 of the PSG: Avoid financial obligations that could sink you. PRAY: Transition into the Bible study by praying for your group members as they seek to establish wise and God-honoring financial practices during this season of their lives. PLAYLIST PICK: Leaning on You, Jesus by Christy Nockels BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 97

4 10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Proverbs 22:7 Notes 7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Proverbs 22:7. SAY: How much slavery are you carrying? It may sound like a strange question, but it s a biblical one. According to Proverbs 22:7, when we borrow money, we become a slave to the lender. ALTERNATE QUESTION: When have you felt enslaved to debt? DISCUSS: Question 2 on page 78 of the PSG: Why are so many people willing to accept debt in today s culture? (Note: In your discussion, be aware that many young adults are dealing with debt. This isn t a time to place blame or labels, but to identify what drives us to accept debt and how easily accessible it has become. These factors will require young adults to be on guard against the temptation of debt and financial obligations.) SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 78): How does debt enslave the borrower? Debt restricts the freedom to give. When debt governs the checkbook, we re limited in our ability to give spontaneously as needs arise. Debt inhibits the ability to save and invest. Debt focuses all of our finances on the present. As a result, we sacrifice future goals, projects, and opportunities including future savings and investments. Debt distorts an understanding of value. Debt feeds our culture s I can have it now mentality. A line of credit allows us to have what we want when we want it. So we can feed our hunger with a $1 cheeseburger with the same line of credit we use to pay for a $2,000 vacation. The concept of value is eliminated in the face of instant indulgence. Debt prevents progress. Instead of moving forward when we receive a raise, a bonus, or an unexpected windfall, we are forced to pay down debt rather than progressing in, say, owning a home. Debt feeds a false self-image. Easy credit has fed the lie that you have to keep up with the Joneses. TRANSITION: In the next verses, Solomon equated unwise financial obligations with traps that we set for ourselves. 98 SESSION 2

5 THE POINT Avoid financial obligations that could sink you. Proverbs 22:7 Commentary Debt can easily enslave us. Verse 7: Proverbs 22:7 is an example of a contrast. Solomon used two statements to convey the same basic truth. The rich rule over the poor because the rich have money to lend to the poor who need it. The borrower then, in effect, becomes a slave to the lender. Some biblical scholars believe Solomon may have referred to literal slaves. The Law allowed the Israelites to sell themselves to fellow Israelites if they had no other source of money (Leviticus 25:39). However, certain limitations were given for those Jews who sold themselves [they were not to be treated as slaves ] as opposed to non-israelite slaves (vv ). Many Bible teachers interpret this verse in a figurative rather than in a literal manner. Still, the rich to whom the poor man owed his debt did have great power over him. Though the rich could require something as a pledge that the loan would be repaid, the lender was to be respectful in receiving the item and to return it by sunset if the borrower was poor (Deuteronomy 24:10 13). Also, the lender was not to charge interest to his fellow Israelite (Leviticus 25:35 37). Though the lender was to treat his fellow Israelite with this kind of respect, the fact was that the borrower still was under the rich man s control. And, in light of what we know about human nature, probably not all lenders treated their debtors with the honor God demanded. Most debtors in ancient Israel probably felt like slaves. The Bible does not say that Jesus disciples should not borrow money. The problem with borrowing is not the act but the motives behind it. Are we following God s plan to provide for ourselves and for our family s basic needs? Or, are we allowing money and its privileges to become our god and thus our slave owner? Sometimes we may even be tempting God by demanding that He protect us from any catastrophe that might disrupt our cash flow that allows us to live on the edge. God only promises to meet our needs, not to supply us with a grand lifestyle. Another problem with being a slave to debt is that it usually limits our ability to give back to God and to be generous to those in real need. One other potential problem with being a slave to our debt is that we can find ourselves unable to pay all our bills. If we have enslaved ourselves to the extent that we have just enough to pay the minimum on our credit card bills and then the heating system goes out, what are we supposed to do? That s when many people get behind in paying their debts. An overall motivation to pay our debts, both financial and to show love, is God s commandment from Leviticus 19:18 that we should Love your neighbor as yourself (Romans 13:9). We demonstrate our obedience to this command when we pay our financial debts. This word adds a powerful reason for making sure that we are not enslaved to debt. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 99

6 5 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Proverbs 6:1-2 Notes 1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor or entered into an agreement with a stranger, 2 you have been trapped by the words of your lips ensnared by the words of your mouth. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Proverbs 6:1-2. ALTERNATE QUESTION: How do we navigate the tension between avoiding entanglements and wanting to help those in need? ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Display a trap used to capture small animals. Discuss the nature of the trap: it keeps the prey from freedom and possibly harms the animal in the process. Unlike the traps found in the movie clip you may have viewed earlier in the session, this kind of trap is anything but humorous. Its job is to capture and prevent escape. (Note: A metal cage catch trap used to capture small animals would work well for this illustration. If that s inaccessible, a mouse trap would also be effective.) DISCUSS: Question 3 on page 79 of the PSG: What modern circumstances would connect with these verses? SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 79): In Proverbs 6, Solomon gave wise words of warning against financial arrangements that can entangle us in circumstances beyond our control. The idea of putting up security or surety for someone could be described in modern terms as cosigning a loan and taking on the responsibility of repayment, should the other party default. SAY: Debt puts us in bondage, and we trap ourselves by our own words when we make these types of agreements. 100 SESSION 2

7 THE POINT Avoid financial obligations that could sink you. Proverbs 6:1-2 Commentary Financial obligations beyond your ability to manage are unwise. Verses 1-2: In our financial world we are sometimes asked to cosign loans for someone else. Many parents have cosigned loans for their children as they purchased their first cars. They fully expect their children to pay back their loans; but if some crisis should develop, they re prepared to help them out as needed. Solomon s concern was that accepting responsibility for your neighbor whom you know to some degree is risky, but becoming surety for a stranger presents an even greater risk. While in Proverbs 22:7 Solomon described being in debt as being enslaved to the lender, for this situation he used the terms trapped and ensnared words that come from hunting birds and other animals. The Hebrew for entered into an agreement can be literally translated struck your palm. This was probably a custom used to make a transaction between two people official. By verbally agreeing to stand for someone else s debt and by giving the outward sign of striking the debtor s hand, this person had put himself at risk of having to repay a financial debt that might jeopardize his own financial stability. Today we are sometimes approached by individuals who ask us to cosign their loans. As with the two types of individuals Solomon cited, we may know some of them well while others may be strangers to us. If we use the wisdom Solomon offered, though we might want to help the person, we will decline obligating ourselves in this way. We have no certainty that the individual will be able to repay his or her debt. If the person should default, then we will be responsible for repaying that loan. How might that unforeseen obligation affect us, our family, and our business? How might that situation limit our ability to be faithful in giving to God through our church? The consequences could extend to every area of our lives. Today we have many opportunities to invest our financial resources. Some of these opportunities promise no material reward but simply offer ways to bring good to others. One example is a church building fund. Our communities offer us many similar opportunities to help others through our giving. Other investment opportunities offer the incentive of financial gain. These opportunities come in a wide range of risks and rewards. Some involve various kinds of partnerships with other individuals. Again, we should listen to Solomon s advice. Is this opportunity a wise stewardship of our resources? Have we asked God to guide us in this situation? Have we consulted with others who have godly wisdom? Have we studied the Scriptures for ourselves to find what other passages say about the wise use of the resources God provides? Such questions and godly motives should always be our guides as we seek to provide for ourselves, for our families, and for the work of God on the earth. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 101

8 15 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Proverbs 6:3-5 Notes 3 Do this, then, my son, and free yourself, for you have put yourself in your neighbor s power: Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor. 4 Don t give sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. 5 Escape like a gazelle from a hunter, like a bird from a fowler s trap. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Proverbs 6:3-5. DISCUSS: Question 4 on page 80 of the PSG: What can we learn from the imagery in these verses? (Note: Highlight that financial entanglements, like traps and snares set for animals, can place us in a vulnerable position when it comes to our finances.) SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 81): What do we do if we ve made a risky financial agreement? With intense language, Solomon implored us to get out of the arrangement as quickly as possible. Don t hesitate; don t waver; don t think about it too much. Get out! DO: Divide your members into subgroups of three or four people each. Within each subgroup, direct members to complete the activity on page 80 of the PSG together. Chart Your Course: James received his first personal credit card in the mail six months ago. He s now spent the maximum amount and is struggling to pay even the minimum payment each month. Based on today s study, how would you encourage James with truth from God s Word? ALTERNATE QUESTION: What would you be willing to sacrifice to get out of debt? DISCUSS: Question 5 on page 81 of the PSG: How can obeying the principles in these passages empower us to serve and honor God? (Note: In your discussion, include two benefits of being debt-free: the freedom we gain to serve God in missions and to giving financially to others needs.) TRANSITION: This passage brims with warnings of dangerous situations. When we employ godly wisdom, we can sidestep any potential pitfalls and make wise financial decisions. 102 SESSION 2

9 THE POINT Avoid financial obligations that could sink you. Proverbs 6:3-5 Commentary Work to get out of a binding financial entanglement. Verses 3-5: Solomon s counsel in 6:1-5 is for someone who has already made the unwise decision with a neighbor or stranger (v. 1) to be security for his debt. Solomon warned that person to do everything possible to get out of that agreement as soon as possible. He urged the foolish individual to free himself from his neighbor s power (v. 3) since he had allowed himself to become trapped and ensnared (v. 2) by his own words. Solomon proceeded to describe the urgency of the enslaved person s situation. In verse 3, Solomon told the enslaved individual to do three specific things. First, he should not wait until the next time he saw the one who held power over him but should go immediately to that person. When he came to the person, he was to humble himself. This is a particularly strong word. We often urge our children and our friends to refuse to allow someone to walk all over them. However, that s the sense of what Solomon was urging this person to do. He was to put his pride away and plead as much as was necessary. He was to plead with his neighbor to allow him to get out of his agreement. Solomon further clarified the urgent need to act by saying the foolish man should not even allow himself to sleep but should go immediately to his neighbor to get out of his unwise agreement. Solomon concluded his description of the urgency of the situation by comparing it to animals being pursued by hunters. The biblical writers often used the imagery of the hunter and the fowler with their snares and traps in reference to human enemies (Job 22:10; Matthew 22:15) or death (1 Samuel 28:9; Psalm 18:5). Solomon used the example of the hunter who was trying to bring down a gazelle. Solomon urged the foolish man who had pledged security for his neighbor s debt to escape as quickly as the fast gazelle would flee from the one pursuing him. His second example was that of a bird that had been caught by surprise in a fowler s trap. Solomon compared the foolish man to a bird which had been caught. He advised the man to do as the bird and to struggle with all his might to get out from the snare of his entanglement with his neighbor. God has blessed most of us with the strength, ability, and opportunity to earn a living so we can provide for ourselves and our families. In Proverbs 6:6 11 Solomon warned about the dangers of refusing to work when you are able to do so. God expects us not only to provide for ourselves and our families but also to be generous in giving to His kingdom work (2 Corinthians 9:10 11) and in helping to meet the needs of those not as fortunate (Acts 11:27 30). God also expects us to be wise stewards of the financial resources with which He has blessed us. When we make decisions that result in debt, we risk becoming overly burdened and even enslaved. As we seek God s wisdom and His glory, He will guide us in every area of our lives, including our stewardship of His financial blessings. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 103

10 5 minutes LIVE IT OUT SAY: How will you live out these biblical principles? GUIDE: Lead group members to consider the responses to the Bible study listed on page 82 of the PSG. Practice patience. If you simply can t wait to own the next best thing, spend some time this week praying for patience and contentment. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal ways you may use your money to honor God instead. Evaluate your financial situation and make a list of all your debt. Identify changes you can make to whittle away the debt so you ll be free to be generous with the resources God has given you. Create and follow a monthly budget. Having a clear plan for your money gives you a realistic view of where your income goes each month, which can curb those impulse buys. Wrap It Up SAY: Debt has an insatiable appetite; don t fall prey to its allure. Exercising wisdom when it comes to financial obligations allows you to remain in control of your finances and avoid future despair. Learn to make wise decisions as a young adult and you ll establish a firm foundation of money management that ll pay off for years to come. Grow with other group leaders at the Groups Ministry blog (lifeway.com/groupministry). 104 SESSION 2