Helping Hands

Relationships have been strained or broken because of money. One person lends the other person a sum and when the other person doesn’t repay, bitterness ensues.

Lending involves a promise that if broken could offend someone. Because of this, I have made it a rule not to lend people money. If someone needs it and you’re able to fill that need, just give it if they ask for it. A gift is better than a loan. If they pay you back, great. If not, everything’s fine because you weren’t expecting that money back anyway. 

Financial advisers strongly caution about lending people money. They talk about how it could make interactions awkward when the debt is not repaid, the borrower might feel like a servant to the lender, and you might be enabling someone instead of helping them. But the Bible says something different, “Love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.” (Luke‬ ‭6:35‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

On one occasion, I have found myself on the borrowing side of this equation when I moved to New York because my first year was extremely difficult. And it was stressful. The advisers who say that borrowing money could make you feel like a servant to your debtor, I certainly felt that. It’s probably because I feel strongly about keeping my word. This scenario plus a conversation I had with my boyfriend last night reminded me of what I wrote in another blog a few years ago, that it’s better to be on the giving end than the receiving side because it means you have been blessed and are in a position to be blessed some more because didn’t Jesus say, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke‬ ‭6:38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

So loosen those fists, open those hands, and give. Give your time, talents, money, affection, whatever you can, whenever you’re able, and do it with a smile. Someday, on the other side of eternity, you will hear the sweetest words: “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”

Helping hands