Payback

(Proverbs 3:28 KJV)  Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

I think this applies to our business dealings as well as our tendency to hoard.  Proverbs often warn us about loaning money, borrowing money and cosigning on loans for people.  This could apply to a situation where we have ignored that.  Picture a situation where you have borrowed from a friend or family member with certain terms of payback that could run from $10 a month to whenever you can afford it.  Now they are in need, you are doing well and they come asking to have the balance to get through their crisis.  You have the money available but have it in a nice CD that has a penalty on it.  For your own personal profit you refuse the request.

Bad news for everyone.  You have allowed the desire for profit to override your moral obligation.  They have lost what they though was a friend.  Two hearts are hardened.

So?  Every “deal” we make needs to have the holiness test.  I don’t mean whether you can justify it in a court of law but whether you can still look into the face of God and say, “I have loved my neighbor”.