The fierce dogs of debt

“and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
-Proverbs 6:11

Solomon has been talking in these last verses about the slothful, or lazy. Here he has a very practical warning, but it is a warning that we too little heed.

Americans are loaded down with debt, and it’s usually over the silliest of things. I hear people complaining about how much they owe all the time, but they have really nice televisions and cars and go out to eat three times a week.

And it is really those little things that get you. You know, eating out a meal doesn’t hurt too much, but continuing to do it really bites into the budget (pun intended). For me, it was books and movies. One book doesn’t cost that much, but ten do, and I was having such difficulty with my budget because I kept buying books.

A small thing, but it can hurt.

A lot of that can be solved by eating at home more and going to the library rather than the bookstore. A lot of it is solved by settling for an ugly used car rather than the brand new one you don’t need. But a lot of it is your work ethic.

There are people who are deep in debt who just need to get a second job. And they don’t want to, because they don’t want to work that hard. Some people just need to get a FIRST job! Some people need to start working hard at work so they will get a good raise.

I’ll tell you the truth – if you get a steady job and watch what you’re spending, you’re probably going to do fine financially. If you work hard and get a raise or get promoted, you’ll do better.

If you spend all of your money on foolish things, then poverty is going to creep up on you fast.

God has given us time and money to steward, not to waste on whatever we want. It’s not our time. It’s not our money. It’s His, and He has given it to us to use properly. When we waste them, we are saying that our own desires for things, comfort, and pleasure are worth more to us than He is worth.

As Paul tells us, if we are saved, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The context here is in sexual sin, but the meaning goes into all areas. How do we conduct ourselves with our time? Are you lazy? If you are not, are you trying to glorify Him with your time, or are you glorifying yourself?

If you are not glorifying Him, repent of this sin and have faith in Him. Jesus paid the price for your sins when He died upon the Cross. Confess your sin to Him. The Spirit will work in you for a change, but your hope lies in Him alone.

We will continue to sin in this way or another (or likely both), but Jesus continues to intercede for us with the Father. Trust in Him for your sanctification.