“The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”
Proverbs 22:7
Our text says: “The rich ruleth over the poor.” There are two classes of people mentioned here, the rich and the poor. Those who are rich are the upper class. This class, who have more in earthly possessions, lord it over the poor. Read James 2:1-10. When we read this passage from James, the brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, who must have learned much from his wise and sinless brother, we can see that we are called to “Love our neighbour as ourselves.” There is more in this passage though. Verse 5, “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith.” We must do the opposite to ruling and despising the poor and must befriend them, as they, more than the rich, need Christian companionship.
The second half of our text says: “The borrower is servant to the lender.” This is actually and literally the case, for when we borrow money or possessions we then owe a certain part of our existence to the lender. In our modern day, there are countless numbers of lending institutions and one can borrow almost as much money as he or she chooses. The question then is; How much can or should we borrow? or Should we borrow at all?
The Scripture as our only rule for life also gives us direction in this area of our life. Our Savior Himself has said to us (Matt. 6:19), “Lay not up for yourself treasure on earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal.” He then goes on and tells us to set our heart on Heaven for the treasures that will never perish. This, though, is not as easy said as done, because we are here on this earth and living by faith and not by sight.
How then are we to view our earthly possessions? We are called to replenish and subdue the earth. We are called to be wise stewards of that which God has given us. Let me at this stage define two terms. Our needs and our wants. Our needs are our basic necessities for life, namely food, clothing, and shelter. Then there are our wants. Our wants usually stem from a sinful desire to be rich, to enjoy the pleasures of our day and to satisfy the lusts of our sinful flesh. (I Tim. 6:9) “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare.” One who desires to be rich leads himself into temptation. The text then says further, that he, like a mouse at a trap, is snared and caught so that there is no turning back: “Which drown men in destruction and perdition.”
We have pointed out then that our wants are not what should govern our lives, but our needs. (I Tim. 6:8) “And having food and raiment let us therewith be content.” This then should govern our borrowing of money also. We should not borrow money for items that perish, or to put it better, that lose their value quickly (e.g., cars, furniture, vacations, etc.), and we should never borrow money for an item if when the item is sold it will not repay the loan completely.
The Bible also gives us a pattern in our loan repayments. (Rom. 13:8) “Owe no man anything.” When we do need to borrow for our necessities, we should work hard to pay off that loan, and should not squander our money indulging in worldly pleasures.
(James 4:13-15) “Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live and do this, or that.”
We must not presume on the future. We should borrow not to “get gain,” but should give God the thanks for what we do have, for tomorrow it may not be ours.
In our western culture, we have all. There is a verse in Scripture which describes that well. (II Cor. 9:11) “Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness,” but the text goes on to say “which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.” Does it? or do we want more every time? The one main cause of financial bondage and psychological illness in our day is a “lack of contentment” and a spirit not of thanks, but of unthankfulness and ingratitude for what God has given us. We run ahead of God and lead ourselves into temptation. We sell our freedom for the luxuries and pleasures of this lost and fallen world.
Having talked about borrowing money, what now about spending it? Being a steward also involves spending our money wisely. Our tithes are our first and most important investment (Mal. 3:10). If we put God first, He will surely bless us. Another important investment is the preaching of the Gospel (Prov. 11:30). When we put these things first, as did the early Philippian Church in supplying Paul with gifts for the furtherance of the preaching of the Gospel, then we, too, can be assured that (Phil. 4:19) “our God shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
As well as this, when we are wise stewards of our money in this way, putting God first, then He will give us freedom from financial bondage. This involves, for us, freedom from debt, pressure, love of money, pursuit of earthly riches, business entanglement, “get rich quick” schemes, gambling and guilt. He will give us peace of conscience, so that we may learn whatever state He puts us in therewith to be content.
We then also who abound may look not every man to his own needs but to the needs of others. Think about that and give to the needy also. Care not for what you are wearing yourself, but see to it that your Christian brother is clothed. Do you need to throw out last summer’s clothes not because they are worn out, but because they have “gone out,” out of fashion? Do we need a new pair of shoes just because the white on our current pair is a little yellowish? We must be wise stewards of every cent He entrusts to us. If we fail in this area and squander what we have we are counted by God as worse than an infidel (I Tim. 5:8). God then has no place for us in His Heavenly Kingdom. As we seek also in the stewardship of His gifts to us to follow Him, may He grant each one of us His blessing and wisdom.
Rodney Kleyn is a member of the Burnie Congregation of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia.