How can we apply Job 22:6 to modern-day lending practices? Setting the Verse in Context “ For you demanded security from your brothers without cause, stripping off their clothes and leaving them naked.” (Job 22:6) Eliphaz accuses Job of seizing collateral so ruthlessly that the debtor is left destitute. Even though Eliphaz’s charge is false, the verse reflects a real sin Scripture condemns: exploiting the needy through harsh lending. Timeless Principles on Lending • Lending is permitted, exploiting is forbidden (Exodus 22:25–27). • Essential items must never be seized as collateral (Deuteronomy 24:6, 10–13). • Interest that crushes the poor is unrighteous (Psalm 15:5; Proverbs 28:8). • Mercy outweighs profit (Luke 6:34–35). • The borrower becomes servant to the lender, so restraint is love (Proverbs 22:7). A Checklist for Personal Lending • Motive: Am I helping a brother or leveraging a profit? • Collateral: Am I demanding something essential to the borrower’s survival—housing, tools, clothing, transportation? If yes, refuse. • Terms: Are the repayment schedule and interest reasonable, transparent, and flexible? • Dignity: Will the borrower feel respected, or ashamed and exposed? • Mercy: Am I prepared to forgive or adjust the debt if hardship strikes (Matthew 18:27; 25:35–40)? Implications for Business and Financial Institutions • Design products that build, not strip: low-fee checking, credit counseling, micro-loans with capped interest. • Reject practices that parallel “stripping the cloak,” such as: – Predatory payday loans with triple-digit APRs. – Balloon mortgages targeting vulnerable buyers. – Repossession of a primary vehicle after a single missed payment without due grace. • Embed relief valves: hardship forbearance, interest freezes, debt forgiveness options. • Measure success not only by profit margin but by the financial health of clients (Philippians 2:4). Guarding Our Hearts in a Credit-Driven Culture • Celebrate contentment over consumption (1 Timothy 6:6–8). • Practice generosity that frees others from debt (Acts 4:34–35). • Remember every borrower bears God’s image; no profit justifies dehumanizing a person. Practical Steps for the Church Family • Establish benevolence funds that issue no-interest, dignity-preserving loans or grants. • Offer financial literacy classes rooted in biblical stewardship. • Partner with reputable credit unions to provide fair banking alternatives in underserved neighborhoods. • Encourage members who are lenders, bankers, real-estate professionals, or investors to integrate Job 22:6 principles into policy and practice. Living out Job 22:6 today means refusing to strip people of their dignity for the sake of a signature and interest payment, choosing instead to let mercy triumph over money. |
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