I sometimes do things that other people think I shouldn’t. For example, I’m willing to have financial dealings with family members without signing documents. I know that’s not recommended, but for some reason it feels better to me.
It’s hard for me to explain, but reading Deuteronomy 23:19-20 makes me want to try. Those verses say, “Do not charge a fellow Israelite interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest. You may charge a foreigner interest, but not a fellow Israelite, so that the Lord your God may bless you in everything you put your hand to in the land you are entering to possess.”
These verses tell me two things. One, charging interest isn’t bad; it’s permitted in this case for foreigners. But the second thing is, charging interest to God’s people is one of God’s “Do nots.”
Why would that be? I think it has to do with the servant heart God wants me to have. He wants me to use what he has blessed me with to bless others. If I charge interest, it’s a good deal for me, so I’m really just helping myself.
Life conditions me to protect my money, to make sure none of it slips away or no one takes it. God wants me to use my money for God-glorifying purposes. He grants me wealth for reasons that have nothing to do with my own security.
One of those reasons is that my blessings are meant in some way to help the body of believers. There’s a saying related to economics that goes, “A rising tide floats every boat.” I’m trying to look at my wealth as part of God’s rising tide for kingdom needs, meant for more boats than just mine.
No comments:
Post a Comment