"The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again." (Psalm 37:21a)
Playing shopkeeper was one of my children's favorite math games while homeschooling. Frequently, we would set aside our math workbooks and set up our little store to learn money values, counting, and subtraction principals. Using miniature replicas of food items, a toy shopping cart, and a cash register, my children played for hours and never realized they were learning in the process. Substituting real money for play money made this educational game even more exciting and life-like. Playing frequently, my children progressed until they could easily add amounts mentally and count back change correctly. Due to their play, handling money became second nature. What's more, they also learned a life-long principal-no money, no purchase.
Unfortunately, the correct handling of money in real life is not as easy for some Christian families today. Although the Bible sets forth principals of being good stewards of God's blessings, many believers fail because they make purchases based on fleshy desires with the convenience of credit. Forgetting that these charges require an actual payment of real money, many Christians sink themselves and their families into large debts with no ability to pay. Interest rates accrue and soon the debt load becomes so great that there is no hope of ever getting out of bondage. Breaking under the financial stress, some Christians lose friendships, ruin marriages, and perform foolish acts. The Scriptures speak to this problem when it says, "The borrower is servant to the lender" and "Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts" (Proverbs 22:7b, 26).
What about you? Are you being tempted to abuse credit as you face homeschooling on one income? Don't do it. Heed God's warnings in His Word and run to Him with your needs instead. If He has called you to homeschool your children, He will also provide; but He expects you to handle what He provides correctly.
04:45, Sunday, June 8, 2008
.. Posted by gabbie427
I am so glad you taught your children about money, counting it out and counting it back, etc. It is something not many children are taught in public schools, but my father taught me about it at home! I am thankful to him for this simple but useful skill!!
The only time, buying something on credit is a temptation to me personally, is driving by the car dealership every day that is a few blocks away. LOL We currently have 2 working vehicles and one spare and they are all paid for. We never use credit cards and live comfortably within our means. If we don't have cash for it, we don't buy it. The only time we don't do this is getting meds or doctor's visits when we sometime have them send us a bill instead of paying for it that very day (because we are perhaps in between pay checks), and even then, we pay it off within 30 days.
I have a few people in mind though when I read the verse. I have loaned money to friends before and then lost friendships because of it. The refuse to pay, forget about it, making the friendship suffer. I don't ever want to do this with a friend or family member because I know how it feels.
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