Dangerous Promises | Money Advice, (Part 2)

¹ My son, if you become surety for your friend,
If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
² You are snared by the words of your mouth;
You are taken by the words of your mouth.
³ So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;
For you have come into the hand of your friend:
Go and humble yourself;
Plead with your friend.
⁴ Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids.
⁵ Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Proverbs 6:1-5

My dear VPGs,

Yesterday, in Part 1 of this series, I gave you some general thoughts about money. Today I want to give you the first of three practical applications that come from Proverbs 6:1-5. (Of course there are more.)

The first application is this: Keep your financial status private.

Money attracts people. 

But here’s the problem, friendships and relationships based on the fact that you have money are superficial at best and predatory at worse. 

“Fair weather friends” are not friends of yours, they’re friends of your money.  But it is the predatory friends that should concern you most.  They are the ones seeking “surety” from you.

Broadly, “surety” is when you take responsibility for paying other people’s debts.

It can be as simple as always being expected to pay for meals and bills and it can be as complex as obligating yourself to pay someone’s debts.

Take Solomon’s advice – flee these relationships!

Please understand what I am not saying:

I’m not saying to never pay for people’s meals and bills. Just the opposite – be generous and charitable, just don’t allow it to become expected.

I’m not saying to never underwrite someone debt. Wise examples could be co-signing with your child (once) to make a major purchase: such as a car to help get them started in life.

Another example could be becoming a partner in a business.

However, the best policy is: If you give money to someone, give it as a gift.

If you can’t stomach giving it away or can’t afford to give it away don’t get involved. Money given with strings attached is almost always corrosive to a relationship. Money given with no strings attached can be one of the most rewarding things you can do with your money.

More tomorrow,

Love always, papa

Prayer: Father God, please help my grandchildren to grow up to be lavishly generous people who see the great needs around them and respond. But also give them the wisdom to know when money is not the answer.

All for your glory and the advancement of your purpose. Amen.