Get Rid of Debt!
Reflections: Today we learn of God’s economy, and how we should handle the things we have been given. In Deuteronomy, we learn of the tithe the Israelites brought in the temple for worship freely and joyfully. Note God wanted them to enjoy what they brought in His presence. Giving was meant to be a joyful occasion, not an obligation. The writer introduces two tithes. One for the annual maintenance of the temple that was to be brought and enjoyed in thanksgiving and then every third year they would store their tithes for the Levites who had no allotment of land and also for the foreigners, widows and the fatherless. Here we see the notion of those who have giving freely so that those who have fallen on hard times may able to get by.
Also we see a system of canceling of debts among God’s people, so that every 7 years debtors would be released from their obligation, and in effect could start over again. The same was true for servants, unless they wished to stay with their masters. The effect was to avoid materialism and greed, and realize that God was the true provider of all things. At the end of the passage God warns Israel to not be a debtor nation, but to lend to other nations so they would not be enslaved to anybody!
Wow! Do you think this has application for today? We see our country and individual households more and more in debt than ever before. In our greed and lust for more and more stuff, we know have a huge deficit that keeps mounting with interest upon interest. It is scary to think how our grandchildren will get along if we don’t somehow stop this cycle and elect officials who will balance our budget no matter how painful it is.
Finally, in Luke, we see the sinful women anointing Jesus’ feet with the jar of alabaster perfume. Since we know this was very expensive, we see it as an act of worship for this woman who had lived a bad life, but realized whose presence she was in. She gave a costly gift in anticipation of the costly gift her Savior would soon give to her on the cross, freeing her from her past so she could start a new life.
As we think about how we give to God, let us remember the gift He has given us. As we give cheerfully and generously a tithe and beyond, we will not only be supporting God’s mission in our local church, but also freeing ourselves from the grip of materialism and being an example of God’s economy. We know that as we live these principles, we will never be lacking because God is the giver of every good gift anyways!
Psalm 81:11-16
11 “But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
13 “If my people would only listen to me,
if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,
and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Deuteronomy 14:22-15:18
28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
The Year for Canceling Debts
15 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. 2 This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. 3 You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you. 4 However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, 5 if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. 6 For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.
7 If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. 8 Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. 9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. 10 Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.
Luke 7:31-38
31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:
“‘We played the pipe for you,
and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
and you did not cry.’
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
John Hus Festival†
The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. Isaiah 54:5
No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3
Lord Jesus, we are aware of the difficult life you accepted in God’s will. We are grateful for the saints and martyrs who followed in your path and give us light. Amen.
† On July 6, 1415, John Hus was martyred at the Council of Constance.
Also we see a system of canceling of debts among God’s people, so that every 7 years debtors would be released from their obligation, and in effect could start over again. The same was true for servants, unless they wished to stay with their masters. The effect was to avoid materialism and greed, and realize that God was the true provider of all things. At the end of the passage God warns Israel to not be a debtor nation, but to lend to other nations so they would not be enslaved to anybody!
Wow! Do you think this has application for today? We see our country and individual households more and more in debt than ever before. In our greed and lust for more and more stuff, we know have a huge deficit that keeps mounting with interest upon interest. It is scary to think how our grandchildren will get along if we don’t somehow stop this cycle and elect officials who will balance our budget no matter how painful it is.
Finally, in Luke, we see the sinful women anointing Jesus’ feet with the jar of alabaster perfume. Since we know this was very expensive, we see it as an act of worship for this woman who had lived a bad life, but realized whose presence she was in. She gave a costly gift in anticipation of the costly gift her Savior would soon give to her on the cross, freeing her from her past so she could start a new life.
As we think about how we give to God, let us remember the gift He has given us. As we give cheerfully and generously a tithe and beyond, we will not only be supporting God’s mission in our local church, but also freeing ourselves from the grip of materialism and being an example of God’s economy. We know that as we live these principles, we will never be lacking because God is the giver of every good gift anyways!
Psalm 81:11-16
11 “But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
13 “If my people would only listen to me,
if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,
and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Deuteronomy 14:22-15:18
28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
The Year for Canceling Debts
15 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. 2 This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. 3 You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you. 4 However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, 5 if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. 6 For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.
7 If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. 8 Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. 9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. 10 Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.
Luke 7:31-38
31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:
“‘We played the pipe for you,
and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
and you did not cry.’
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
John Hus Festival†
The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. Isaiah 54:5
No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3
Lord Jesus, we are aware of the difficult life you accepted in God’s will. We are grateful for the saints and martyrs who followed in your path and give us light. Amen.
† On July 6, 1415, John Hus was martyred at the Council of Constance.
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