Don’t ask “Where’s my money?”

Deuteronomy 24: ¹⁰ When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, do not go into their house to get what is offered to you as a pledge. ¹¹ Stay outside and let the neighbor to whom you are making the loan bring the pledge out to you. ¹² If the neighbor is poor, do not go to sleep with their pledge in your possession. 

¹³ Return their cloak by sunset so that your neighbor may sleep in it. Then they will thank you, and it will be regarded as a righteous act in the sight of the Lord your God.

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“Can I borrow $20” were the strangest words I heard coming from a person I just met the day before. We were coworkers and this guy was older than me. I was fresh out of college and this guy is asking me for money!  “NO indeed” was my initial thought, but something nagged at me.

I wrestled with it and said “No” without asking many questions.

• At one point I kept my possessions a secret for fear someone would want to borrow from me.
• At one point I would stay away from the needy for fear that they may need something from me.
• At one point I would evaluate the need and automatically say “No” requiring the needy person to convince me of their need.

Loaning money is a very touchy subject because no one ever has enough. When someone asked me for money, it meant I had to sacrifice to accommodate the need which made me feel uncomfortable so I avoided like the plague. But what does GOD think.

• GOD wants me to be wise and generous.
• GOD wants me to find the poor and loan what I don’t expect to get back.
• GOD wants me to treat the person I loaned the money to with respect.

Loaning money is sometimes difficult because it seems like 12 others would come out the woodwork when they hear of this kind act. GOD provides me with wisdom to loan to the right people and is working on my generosity to not expect it back.

• Are you afraid of loaning money?
• Does pride make you give instead of loaning the money?
• Are you holding onto money so tightly that you cannot foresee loaning money to anyone?
• When you loan to the poor can you treat them with respect and “ask” for repayment instead of demanding it?