Some thoughts on Giving vs Lending, Pastors, Preachers, and Priests might have more wisdom than me on the topic. Here are some of my thoughts.
The Bible says give and expect nothing in return. Luke 6:35
There are good reasons to give versus lend. Giving has potential to empower the giver as well as the receiver more than lending does. Freedom is powerful, having to collect on debt is far from free requirement for book keeping, stress, requirement to potentially hold people accountable.
If I lend someone $5. If the $5 dollars is not repaid I might feel wronged, feel like an agreement has not been met, that I can no longer rely upon someone’s word. Potential liability such as that is less than all burden out on both giver and receiver. I might lend someone $5 and give someone else $20, yet I would feel wronged if I did not get the $5 back and I expect never to get the $20 back. People plan based upon expectation, and expectation has shown precedent in life for being turned up in non-ideal ways – at least in my life experience.
A society taught to owe less could be enabling in many different directions. There are good owes, like desire to protect friends, family, and fellow citizens like The Good Samaritan. Lending has potential to bet on a future that has yet to be written by God and there is a tendency at times for God to throw curve balls. Who has been lent to might hit hard times and not be able to pay back, and as we all have fallen short of the Glory of God and are required to hold up the Golden Rule, will we really be able to treat those we lent to with the level of love and respect they deserve? Failed expectation and extra temptation, such as might happen in a disaster like a storm might be less than ideal, yet lending might lead to both especially in hard times.
God said build upon rock, and while I realize lending, credit cards, and loans provide crucial services for saving lives at times taking them on lightly or automatically adding them as common place is not inconsequential. The extra stress due to having to pay high bills has the potential to take its toll over time and should not be consider as of zero consequence. Inspiring others to give more and lend less (expect less in return) has potential for being enabling, enabling in a way that allows people to be The Good Samaritan in crucial times. The person I gave $20 might be more inspired to give $5 to someone else in need if they don’t have the thought of needing to pay me back on their mind. Giving over lending has potential for freedom in directions not all might expect by default. Desire to micromanage is not always easy to ideally divest from, giving over lending helps invest in the realization everything cannot and should not be attempted to be controlled.
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