What is the meaning of Proverbs 11:15? He who puts up security for a stranger • The verse opens with a concrete scenario: acting as guarantor for someone you do not really know. • Scripture treats “security” or “surety” as pledging personal assets to cover another’s debt (Proverbs 6:1-2). • Taking on a stranger’s obligation ignores God-given boundaries of stewardship; it presumes insight into another person’s integrity that we simply do not possess (Proverbs 22:26-27). • Cross reference: Proverbs 17:18 warns, “A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor,” showing that even pledging for a neighbor is risky—how much more for a stranger. will surely suffer • The consequence is not hypothetical. The literal wording, “will surely suffer,” signals an inevitable loss. • Debt can swallow freedom, leave families vulnerable, and damage reputations (2 Kings 4:1; Psalm 37:21). • Cross reference: Proverbs 20:16, “Take the garment of one who has put up security for a stranger; seize it as collateral for foreigners,” underlines that the guarantor often pays. • Suffering here may be financial, relational, or emotional, but it is certain; God’s Word presents it as an avoidable form of self-inflicted hardship. but the one who hates indebtedness • “Hate” is an intentional, moral stance. The wise person actively resists entangling himself in obligations he cannot control (Romans 13:8, “Owe no one anything, except to love one another”). • He values the freedom that comes from living within God’s provision (Deuteronomy 15:6). • He recognizes that accepting debt can place him under another’s power (1 Corinthians 7:23). • This is not a call to coldness or stinginess; Scripture still urges generosity (Proverbs 19:17) but distinguishes charitable giving from risky surety. is secure • “Secure” pictures stability—a life unshaken by another person’s default (Psalm 112:7-8). • The one who avoids unnecessary debt can focus on serving God and others without fear of creditors (Proverbs 1:33). • He becomes a channel of blessing rather than a cautionary tale, enjoying the peace God intends for faithful stewardship. summary Proverbs 11:15 plainly counsels against guaranteeing a stranger’s debt. Such surety almost guarantees suffering, while rejecting entangling obligations grants security. By honoring these boundaries, believers exercise wise stewardship, avoid needless pain, and walk in the freedom God promises to those who heed His Word. |
    |