"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law” - Roman 13:8 (NIV).

Not long ago, many of the brethren from the East African revival, tended to insist on an old Shakespearean injunction, “Neither a borrower nor a lender be, For loan oft loses both itself and friend..”  Can we say they were too legalistic or unnecessarily so cautious!

Perhaps not and just wise! These brethren were apparently aware of Proverbs 22:7, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender”. So, they advised the brethren, “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil” (Luke 6:35).

As Shakespeare rightly observed, nothing can complicate or even destroy a relationship, as when a friend borrows upon agreed terms only to abandon them without notice and then perhaps takes to hiding, if not resentment for being reminded of his dues. The relationship inevitably suffers.

So, in life, should one ever borrow? We all know that nations and most business revolve around credit, and perhaps it is impossible to think of development without either. Moreover, there comes certain situations where one may be hard pressed to make ends meet. But that said, the nations and business do lend on certain terms, sealed with interest, which upon default there are dire consequences. 

In personal relationships, especially if borrowing is among brethren, relations are complicated whenever the borrower for some reasons, maybe out of his control, defaults and without communication quietly goes out of circulation.  The burden is then left on the once good lender to enforce the terms, now maybe looked at as a bad person for raising the matter. To recover his due, the lender might be forced to liquidate his security, which destroys the relation irreparably. 

Aware of this, one goes back to the old brethren, that a safe option is therefore to restrain as much as possible from borrowing, and even lending, perhaps more to save the relationship. For Scripture reminds us, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.  See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:14-15).

Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, you are the provider of all the resources there is in the world, and today I pray that you take care of all my needs as ever, and I owe nothing to no one except love!