I ask myself this question many times: when does a week or month go by when I think about the fact and then worry about the fact of being in debt. Whether is it my utility bills, repayments, (loans, etc.), even one’s tithe; if you are a church goer. I personally always seem to be behind, never able to run forward. Major companies are in a position to handle such matters which includes chasing people who are falling behind with their repayment agreement.
The continued development in our social system has raised an enormous range of questions about the relationship between wealth and faithfulness to God. Credit cards have become increasing widespread, making it easier for a small number of people to accumulate great wealth and for everyone else to purchase goods and services and get into serious debt. In our world today it is impossible to be a Christian and not struggle with questions related to money. Questions relating to money were an important aspect in the Old and New Testament even though the word money is not actually found in the bible. In fact, after the problem of worshipping idols the question most discussed in the bible has to do with money.
I know one of the best ways of physically getting out of debt is to have Faith. Not only to believe that windfall or a lottery win will come by one day, most importantly gradually commit to pay off ones debt regularly, and also in good time.
Communicating with debtors means you want to share a common interest with them, which in this case is your need to understand and explain why an outstanding bill has not been paid, will it be paid, and how. Sometimes work is tiresome and disliked, and we are tempted to see it as a burden that results from sin in the world. Productive work is a gift from the Creator, therefore joy and delights should be found in our day job.
It is clear that getting into debt is unwise. Like starvation, a plague of locusts, or being forced out of your homeland, it is not something we should bring upon ourselves on purposes. We should ponder these things when considering institutional debt, whether it be as a congregation, a denomination, or a government.
However those of us who are simply tempted by credit cards should simply don’t carry them.
