Making a deal with the devil always leads to bad outcomes.
There’s a recurring theme in classic literature: A person longs for something he can’t attain — wealth, power or a love interest. When the situation looks hopeless, the devil approaches with an offer: He’ll give the man what he’s longing for, and all it will cost is his immortal soul.
The protagonist always takes the deal, because his longings are so intense that he can’t see the value of what he’s giving up. Only later does he realize what a terrible deal he’s made.
Now, you would never trade your immortal soul for temporary pleasure. But if you’re in the habit of borrowing money, you might be making a deal with the devil without realizing it.
Maybe you found 30 Days to Financial Freedom because you feel trapped in debt. You can escape debt, and we’d love to show you how to do it.
Before you can start getting out of debt, though, you need to address the attitudes and misunderstandings that got you into debt. For that, let’s look at Proverbs 22:7. Here’s what it says:
The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.
Our culture depends on debt, and many people assume borrowing money is smart. But the Bible tells a different story. Debt is slavery, and it’s incompatible with a life of freedom. We’re going to take a closer look at this proverb to understand why.
But first, I want to tell you about Stress-Free Finance, a free program we have created to help you make sense of your overwhelming financial life. This five-part video series has short, simple lessons to help you solve money problems so you can stop worrying and build a better future.
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Now, back to the topic at hand:
This proverb is short, but there’s a lot of wisdom pack into it. I want you to see three principles here:
1) Debt is deceptive.
Like any deal with the devil, debt promises you something you can’t get on your own. But it’s always a trick. Loans give you money for a moment but decrease your long-term buying power. Every dollar you spend on debt payments is a dollar you can’t spend on building wealth or giving generously.
2) Borrowing is bondage.
This proverb says the borrower is slave to the lender. That’s because debt restricts you. If you’re tied down with bills, you don’t have the flexibility to live life on your terms. The work you do and the money you make benefits your creditors, not you. That’s the definition of slavery.
3) Poverty is perpetual.
Debt is a trap that draws you in deeper and deeper. The more debt you carry, the more you have to borrow just to keep going. If you live this way, you’re going to get stuck in a cycle of poverty. The little guy can’t get ahead as long as he keeps borrowing money.
To live in freedom, you have to unlearn the lies that have led you into debt. Decide from this day forward that you’ll never borrow money again and commit to doing whatever it takes to pay off the debts you already have.
If you don’t change your habits, debt will hold you back for the rest of your life. You were made for more than that.
