NO INTEREST

Psalm 15:5 He who does not put out his money at usury nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

A friend or family member has come to you to borrow money. If you have enough to make the loan, do you? Do you charge interest and set a deadline for repayment? That’s what banks and loan companies do. It’s their business to loan money and they expect it back with interest. But how about you?

Could you “loan” money to someone knowing it would never be paid back? Would it cause a problem between you?

God’s word says that when we lend, we should not charge interest, nor should we expect to get it back. If you are not able to do that, then don’t loan the money. Give it if you can but don’t loan it.

God’s word has a lot to say about the poor and how they are to be treated:

Exodus 22:25 If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest.

Leviticus 25:35-37 If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you. You shall not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit.

Deuteronomy 23:19 You shall not charge interest to your brother—interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest.

Proverbs 22:22-23 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, nor oppose the afflicted at the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause, and plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

Get the picture? When someone needs to borrow money, it is because they don’t have enough. Adding on interest makes it harder for the poor to repay the loan. The poor person may be desperate, willing to repay any amount. That’s when the wicked take advantage of them.

Can you help the poor? Lend but not expect repayment?

Luke 6:34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.

I have been poor and I have needed to borrow money from family members. I was never charged interest by them. And I paid them back. I have also loaned money to family members. I have never charged interest. About 90% of what I have loaned has never been paid back. I don’t expect that it will. I have considered it a gift. I knew up front that it would most likely not be repaid. If someone wants to pay it back, I will accept it. I do not hound them for the money. I consider it gone. Whatever I get back is a gift from God.

Loan sharks take advantage of the poor. If they do not repent and choose Jesus as their Savior, there will come a day when God will deal with them. You do not want to be in that group.

What if a money loan has already caused problems in your relationship? Go to the Lord first and ask for forgiveness for your part in the problem. Then ask for wisdom to resolve it. It may mean letting go of the loan – treating it as a gift to that person. Some will have a hard time doing that. Especially if you loaned money that was meant for something else. It could cause bitterness. You will need to pray to keep the root of bitterness from getting established.

When someone can’t pay their bills and they need a loan – go to the Lord before you give an answer. God may use you to help that person. But He also may not. God may want to use that person’s situation to draw them closer to Him. He may want to teach them – to strengthen their faith. When we rescue people (outside of God’s will) we do more harm than good. Pray about it and wait for an answer. Remember, you are not the Savior, Jesus is.

Back to Leviticus 25:35-37 and Deuteronomy 23:19.  Who is your brother? Is it a family member, an actual sibling? Is it a friend or someone in your church? Yes, it is a brother, a family member, a friend, a neighbor and someone at church. Typically we don’t lend money to strangers – people we don’t know. Banks and loan companies do that.

God does not want us to hold onto money too tightly. He wants us to open our hands and freely give.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture verses are from the New King James Version of the Bible.