DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A MATTER OF INTEREST

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A MATTER OF INTEREST

"You shall not charge interest to your brother – interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest. To a foreigner you may charge interest, but to your brother you shall not charge interest, that the LORD your God may bless you in all to which you set your hand in the land which you are entering to possess." (Deuteronomy 23:19-20)

This portion of Deuteronomy covers a lot of issues such as adultery, divorce, kidnapping, leprosy, sanitary conditions in the camp, and gleaning farm produce.

We are focusing on financial command because this is the cause of so much disagreement and conflict in personal relationships.

The command to not charge a relative interest on loaned money highlights family problems. The charge is to not charge interest of a "brother," whether that is a family brother or an Israelite brother. When the money is not repaid, there are ruptures in relationships that can last for many years.

I can remember this happening in my own extended family. There were many hard feelings that resulted when a substantial loan was not repaid, even after many requests by the lender to pay the original loan along with the agreed upon interest. It ended up in court, and the scars remain to this day.

This does not forbid loans. It is just that interest is not to be required. This is noted in chapter 24:10-11 which says, "When you lend your brother anything, you shall not go into his house to get his pledge. You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you lend shall bring the pledge out to you." A pledge to repay the loan can be required that would help guarantee that the loan would be repaid. This pledge could be a piece of clothing or possibly something else of value. This is different than interest.

There are two recourses to take when a loan is not repaid. First, is to consider the money as a gift, not requiring repayment. The second is to eat the loss if the loan is in default. In a discourse about brothers taking brothers to court to resolve issues, the Apostle Paul wrote wrote that to go to court is an utter failure. He asks, "Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?" (I Corinthians 6:7). This is forgiving the debt without carrying a grudge.

I think this might be a picture of what happened between us and God. We had a

debt with Him that we could not pay, but He willingly forgave us. And He does not hold the debt nor the interest we owe over our heads. That is His amazing grace. His forgiveness of the debt is a free gift.

There is a freedom of spirit when we can release things to the Lord, and believe that God will take care of the problem.

Love, Dad