Do this now [at once and earnestly], my son, and deliver yourself when you have put yourself into the power of your neighbor; go, bestir and humble yourself, and beg your neighbor [to pay his debt and thereby release you]. Proverbs 6:3 AMP

When you run in debt you give to another power over your liberty. Noah Webster

Indebtedness is common place and will be as long as the earth exists and people do the business of living. And there will always be benevolent men and women who leverage it kindly. On the other hand, somebody will also be right there making sure they get the upper hand on their fellow man in need.

I can’t get away from the fact: if I borrow, I owe. Regardless of how able I become, as long as there is a debt with my name on it, my plans and actions have to revolve (in some degree) around that obligation.

There are many ways to “be in debt” but the most common is financial. And in this Proverb, the writer instructs his son to quickly eliminate the situation and steer clear of future transactions, even with a neighbor!

Believe me, I’ve got a good-sized family, and have the responsibility to make sure there is food on that table and clothes on those backs. And for me, that’s the point. When I had debts swimming around us, born out of temporary comfort, I couldn’t rest well. Somebody else dictated the table, in a behind-the-scenes kind of way.

Don’t misunderstand, it is not my place to tell anybody how to conduct their affairs, financial or otherwise. But it is my heart to share areas like this in light of ancient wisdom from God’s Word.

Debt, by definition, has enslaving possibilities for persons or nations. And to be free of them is to suggest personal solvency and diplomatic frugality. If there was ever a time for a “debtless” atmosphere, it’s now.

I pray, today, for those of us who struggle to make ends meet. I pray that wisdom might come and an answer to the dilemma be realized. And for those of us who could and should do more with less, may the motivation to do so be overwhelming.

And may the chains and shackles be broken.