Question About Debt

4/4/2004

Subject: RE: any thoughts…?

Hi Shirley : ) We can talk more in person soon, if you want. Or, you can write again right away if you’d like, too. BUT, there is just one thing I want to address now. I’m NOT saying you should rack up credit card debt galore, nor am I saying that you HAVE to do everything that others are doing, every time. There MAY be times to quietly back off, without drawing any attention to yourself. That’s just how life is sometimes. So, pick and choose what you need to courageously jump into, and what things might be slightly “extra” and not AS necessary to continue in the Quality of Life together.

Now, for the Mueller bit. Unfortunately, he was very wrong in his application of his favorite quote. He actually didn’t have ANY problem taking other people’s money ALL THE TIME, even if THEY had debt. Doesn’t that seem hypocritical to you? It was all about him and his “experiment”—but was definitely rather hypocritical in some respects. “Give me money so I don’t have any debt”……is not as “Spiritual” as it sounds in his book.

You said, George said that he didn’t believe in debt: “Owe no man anything.”

Okay, George. So why did JESUS say “LEND TO ANYONE WHO ASKS YOU” if “debt” is such a terrible sinful idea? There are DOZENS of Scriptures about lending and borrowing, which imply NOTHING sinful in the process. George was VERY biased towards his own project, and ignored MANY Scriptures, even from the mouth of Jesus Himself, in order to do his OWN thing. It sounded “noble,” but was entirely dishonest to the Scriptures, as well as hypocritical in some respects.

What GOD means when He speaks of “owe no man anything” CANNOT be “never lend or borrow—that’s sinful.” That would defy SO many other Scriptures and events in both the Old Testament and New Testament. What it DOES mean, in summary of His Teaching, is: 1) “Don’t charge interest when lending to a Believer” and 2) be VERY willing to “forgive the debt” and 3) “PAY WHAT YOU HAVE AGREED TO PAY, WHEN YOU AGREED TO PAY IT.” Don’t “owe” him. Thus, “owe no man anything, except the continuing debt to love one another.” Keep your word, when borrowing. If you are incapable of keeping your word, because you have borrowed too much, you become a “slave,” and are on the brink of breaking your word by not making your agreed upon payment—and that would be sin. This is a far more Biblical “summary” of “lending and borrowing” than the simplistic and dishonest “George” version.

Hope that spreads your Vision a bit!

Love, m

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