LESSON 5 *January 28–February 3

Dealing With Debt

Dealing With Debt

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Deut. 28:1, 2, 12; Matt. 6:24; 1 John 2:15; Prov. 22:7; Prov. 6:1–5; Deut. 15:1–5.

Memory Text: “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7, NKJV).

One definition of debt is “living today on what you expect to earn in the future.” Today debt seems to be a way of life, but it should not be the norm for Christians. The Bible discourages debt. In the Scriptures there are at least 26 references to debt, and all are negative. The Bible does not say that it is a sin to borrow money, but it does talk about the often-bad consequences of doing so. When considering financial obligations, Paul counseled: “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Owe no one anything except to love one another” (Rom. 13:7, 8, NKJV).

Why is debt an almost international scourge at every level— personal, corporate, and government? Every society has always had at least a small percentage who were in debt. But today a much larger portion of the people are in debt, and it’s almost never to their benefit.

This week we will consider the reasons for debt and how to deal with it. You may be debt-free, but you can share this valuable information with family and friends who could benefit from it.

* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 4.


Sabbath Afternoon, January 28

Lesson 5 - Dealing With Debt

Some have not come up and united in the plan of systematic benevolence, excusing themselves because they were not free from debt. They plead that they must first “owe no man anything.” But the fact that they are in debt does not excuse them. I saw that they should render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. Some feel conscientious to “owe no man anything,” and think that God can require nothing of them until their debts are all paid. Here they deceive themselves. They fail to render to God the things that are His. Everyone must bring to the Lord a suitable offering. Those who are in debt should take the amount of their debts from what they possess, and give a proportion of the remainder.—Counsels on Stewardship, p. 258.
 

There is no position in life, no phase of human experience, for which the Bible does not contain valuable instruction. Ruler and subject, master and servant, buyer and seller, borrower and lender, parent and child, teacher and student,—all may here find lessons of priceless worth.

But above all else, the word of God sets forth the plan of salvation: shows how sinful man may be reconciled to God, lays down the great principles of truth and duty which should govern our lives, and promises us divine aid in their observance. It reaches beyond this fleeting life, beyond the brief and troubled history of our race. It opens to our view the long vista of eternal ages,—ages undarkened by sin, undimmed by sorrow. It teaches us how we may share the habitations of the blessed, and bids us anchor our hopes and fix our affections there.—Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 542.
 

The wise man addresses the indolent in the words: “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” Proverbs 6:6-8. The habitations that the ants build for themselves show skill and perseverance. Only one little grain at a time can they handle, but by diligence and perseverance they accomplish wonders.

Solomon points to the industry of the ant as a reproach to those who waste their hours in idleness or in practices that corrupt soul and body. The ant prepares for future seasons; but many gifted with reasoning powers fail to prepare for the future immortal life.—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 190.

SUNDAY January 29

The Debt Problems

Read Deuteronomy 28:1, 2, 12. What is God’s ideal for His children regarding debt? How can they attain this ideal? And though this context is very different from ours, what principles can we take away from it to apply to ourselves now?

* Your notes will not be saved!

Studies show that there are three primary reasons that people get into financial difficulty. They are listed here in the order of greatest frequency.

The first is ignorance. Many people, even the educated, are financially illiterate. They were simply never exposed to the biblical or even secular principles of money management. There is hope, however! This lesson will provide a simple outline of these principles and how to apply them.

The second reason for financial difficulties is greed, or selfishness. In response to advertising and personal desire, people simply live beyond their means. They aren’t willing to live in, drive, or wear what they can really afford. Many of these same people also feel that they are just too poor to tithe. As a consequence, they live their lives without God’s promised wisdom and blessing (see Mal. 3:10, 11; Matt. 6:33). There’s hope for these people, as well, but it requires a change of heart—and a spirit of contentment.

The third reason people find themselves in financial difficulty is personal misfortune. They may have experienced a serious illness without adequate health insurance. They may have been abandoned by a spendthrift marriage partner. A natural disaster may have wiped out their possessions. Or they may have been born and raised in abject poverty. There is hope for these people too. Though their path is more difficult, their troubles can be overcome. Change may come with the support of Christian friends, the counsel and/or assistance of godly counselors, hard work coupled with a good education, and the blessing and providence of God.

Whatever the reason, even if it’s a person’s own fault, debt can be alleviated. However, those in debt will need to make some changes in their lives, their spending, and their financial priorities.

Read 1 Timothy 6:6–9. What is Paul saying here that all of us need to heed? What do these words mean to you, and in what ways can you better follow what the Word is teaching us here?


Sunday, January 29

The Debt Problems

To desire to bear your own weight and not to eat the bread of dependence is right. It is a noble, generous ambition that dictates the wish to be self-supporting. Industrious habits and frugality are necessary.

Many, very many, have not so educated themselves that they can keep their expenditures within the limit of their income. They do not learn to adapt themselves to circumstances, and they borrow and borrow again and again and become overwhelmed in debt, and consequently they become discouraged and disheartened. . . .

All should learn how to keep accounts. Some neglect this work as nonessential, but this is wrong. All expenses should be accurately stated.—The Adventist Home, p. 374.
 

The followers of Christ are not to despise wealth; they are to look upon wealth as the Lord’s entrusted talent. By a wise use of His gifts, they may be eternally benefited, but we are to bear the fact in mind that God has not given us riches to use just as we shall fancy, to indulge impulse, to bestow or withhold as we shall please. We are not to use riches in a selfish way, devoting them simply to our own enjoyment. This course would not be doing right toward God or toward our fellow men, and would bring at last only perplexity and trouble. . . .

Both the poor and the rich are deciding their own eternal destiny and proving whether they are fit subjects for the inheritance of the saints in light. Those who put their riches to a selfish use in this world are revealing attributes of character that show what they would do if they had greater advantages, and possessed the imperishable treasures of the kingdom of God. The selfish principles exercised on the earth are not the principles which will prevail in heaven. All men stand on an equality in heaven.—Counsels on Stewardship, p. 133.
 

If you have extravagant habits, cut them away from your life at once. Unless you do this, you will be bankrupt for eternity. Habits of economy, industry, and sobriety are a better portion for your children than a rich dowry.

We are pilgrims and strangers on the earth. Let us not spend our means in gratifying desires that God would have us repress. Let us fitly represent our faith by restricting our wants.—“Carrying Forward the Lord’s Work,” Review and Herald, December 24, 1903.
 

How often do we come in contact with people who are never happy. They fail of enjoying the contentment and peace that Jesus can give. They profess to be Christians but they do not comply with the conditions upon which the promise of God is fulfilled. Jesus has said, “Come unto me. . . . Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). The reason why many are in a state of unrest is that they are not learning in the school of the Master. The submissive, self-sacrificing child of God understands by experience what it is to have the peace of Christ.

Life’s best things—simplicity, honesty, truthfulness, purity, unsullied integrity—are not to be bought or sold. They are free to the illiterate as to the educated, to the white man as to the black man, to the poor man as to the king upon his throne.—That I May Know Him, p. 85.

MONDAY January 30

Following Godly Counsel

We are material beings, and we live in a material world, a world that, at times, can be very alluring. You’d have to be made out of steel and synthetic oil, not flesh and blood, not to feel, at times, the lure of material possessions and the desire for wealth. At one time or another, who hasn’t fantasized about being rich or winning the lottery?

Though we all face it, and there is nothing wrong in and of itself in working hard to earn a good living or even being wealthy, none of us has to succumb to the trap of making idols out of money, wealth, and material possessions. We are promised divine power to stay faithful to what we know is right. This is important, because the temptation of wealth and material possessions has led to the ruin of many souls.

Read Matthew 6:24 and 1 John 2:15. Though expressed differently, what’s the common theme found in both of these scriptures?

Unfortunately, the love of the world can be so strong that people will get into debt in order—as they hope—to satisfy that love. (It never works; see Eccles. 4:8.)

And because debt is one of Satan’s nets that he sets for souls, it just makes sense that God would like to see His children debt-free. He has given us counsel through the Bible and the prophetic gift that will lead us to financial freedom.

Read Psalm 50:14, 15. What attitude should God’s people live with? What does it mean to “pay your vows” (NKJV)?

We enter into our church membership with praise and thanksgiving to our God, who has created and redeemed us. In point 9 (of 13) in our baptismal vows, we were asked, “Do you believe in church organization? Is it your purpose to worship God and to support the church through your tithes and offerings and by your personal effort and influence?” As Seventh-day Adventists, we all said yes. So, this text (Ps. 50:14, 15) is a promise to those who offer thanksgiving to God and are faithfully paying their vows.

What do your choices tell you about how well you deal with the lure of the world? Why is working hard to earn a good living not necessarily the same thing as making an idol of wealth or money? How can we learn the difference?


Monday, January 30

Following Godly Counsel

Some have no tact at wise management of worldly matters. They lack the necessary qualifications, and Satan takes advantage of them. When this is the case, such should not remain in ignorance of their task. They should be humble enough to counsel with their brethren, in whose judgment they can have confidence, before they carry out plans. I was directed to this text: “Bear ye one another’s burdens.” Some are not humble enough to let those who have judgment calculate for them until they have followed their own plans, and have involved themselves in difficulties. Then they see the necessity of having the counsel and judgment of their brethren; but how much heavier the burden then than at first. Brethren should not go to law if it can be possibly avoided; for they thus give the enemy great advantage to entangle and perplex them. It would be better to make a settlement at some loss.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 200.
 

God calls us servants, which implies that we are employed by Him to do a certain work and bear certain responsibilities. He has lent us capital for investment. It is not our property, and we displease God if we hoard up our Lord’s goods or spend them as we please. We are responsible for the use or abuse of that which God has thus lent us. If this capital which the Lord has placed in our hands lies dormant, or we bury it in the earth, even if it is only one talent, we shall be called to an account by the Master. He requires, not ours, but His own with usury.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 668.
 

“No man can serve two masters.”—Matthew 6:24.

Christ does not say that man will not or shall not serve two masters, but that he cannot. The interests of God and the interests of mammon have no union or sympathy. Just where the conscience of the Christian warns him to forbear, to deny himself, to stop, just there the worldling steps over the line, to indulge his selfish propensities. On one side of the line is the self-denying follower of Christ; on the other side is the selfindulgent world lover, pandering to fashion, engaging in frivolity, and pampering himself in forbidden pleasure. On that side of the line the Christian cannot go.

No one can occupy a neutral position; there is no middle class, who neither love God nor serve the enemy of righteousness. Christ is to live in His human agents and work through their faculties and act through their capabilities. Their will must be submitted to His will; they must act with His Spirit. Then it is no more they that live, but Christ that lives in them. He who does not give himself wholly to God is under the control of another power, listening to another voice, whose suggestions are of an entirely different character. Half-and-half service places the human agent on the side of the enemy as a successful ally of the hosts of darkness.—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pp. 93, 94.

TUESDAY January 31

How to Get Out of Debt

Read Job 1:6–2:10. What caused Job’s suffering?

Read Proverbs 22:7. In what sense are we under bondage to the lender?

What can be done to escape from this unfortunate phenomenon? If you are in debt, the following outline will help you begin a debt- elimination process. The plan is simple. It has a premise and three steps.

The premise is a commitment to God to be faithful in returning His holy tithe to access His wisdom and blessing. He is eager to bless those who obey Him.

Step 1 is to declare a moratorium on additional debt: no more credit spending. If you don’t borrow money, you can’t get into debt. If you don’t borrow any more money, you can’t get further into debt.

Step 2 is to make a covenant with God that from this point on, as He blesses, you will pay off your debts as quickly as possible. When God blesses you financially, use the money to reduce debt—not to purchase more things. This step is probably the most crucial. When most folks receive unexpected money, they simply spend it. Don’t; instead apply it to your debt-reduction plan.

Step 3 is the hands-on practical part. Make a list of all your debts, from the largest to the smallest, in descending order. For most families, the home mortgage is at the top of the list, and a credit card or personal debt is at the bottom. Begin by making at least the minimum payment due on each of your debts on a monthly basis. Next, double up or increase your payments in any way you can on the debt at the bottom of the list. You’ll be happily surprised how quickly you can eliminate that smallest debt. Then use the money that you were paying on the bottom debt to add to the basic payment on the next debt as you work your way up the list. As you eliminate your smaller high-interest debts, you’ll free up a surprising amount of money to place on the next-higher debts.

God clearly doesn’t want us in debt. Once the covenant is made, many families find that God blesses them in unexpected ways, and the debt is reduced faster than they had anticipated. By following these three simple steps, many families have become debt-free. You can too! By putting God first, you’ll receive His wisdom and blessing for manag ing what He has entrusted to you.

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’ ” (Heb. 13:5, NKJV). How could applying these words greatly help people avoid getting into debt?


Tuesday, January 31

How to Get Out of Debt

All must practice economy. No worker should manage his affairs in a way to incur debt. The practice of drawing money from the treasury before it is earned, is a snare. In this way the resources are limited, so that laborers cannot be supported in missionary work. When one voluntarily becomes involved in debt, he is entangling himself in one of Satan’s nets which he sets for souls. . . .

The practice of borrowing money to relieve some pressing necessity, and making no calculation for canceling the indebtedness, however common, is demoralizing. The Lord would have all who believe the truth converted from these self-deceiving practices. They should choose rather to suffer want than to commit a dishonest act. If those who see the truth do not change in character corresponding to the sanctifying influence of the truth, they will be a savor of death unto death. They will misrepresent the truth, bring a reproach upon it, and dishonor Christ, who is truth.—Colporter Ministry, pp. 93, 96.
 

Men who might have done well if they had consecrated themselves to God, if they had been willing to work in a humble way, enlarging their business slowly, and refusing to go into debt, have made a failure because they have not worked on right lines. And after getting into difficulty, they have sold out, as men incompetent to manage. They desired relief from financial pressure, and did not stop to think of the after-results.

Those who help such ones out of difficulty are tempted to bind them with such strong cords in the shape of pledges that ever after they feel that they are bondslaves. They seldom outgrow the reputation of poor management and failure.

To those who thus become involved in debt, I am instructed to say: Do not give up if you are moving in right lines. Work with all your power to relieve the situation yourselves. Do not throw an embarrassed institution upon an association that is already heavily burdened with debt. It is best for every sanitarium to stand in its own responsibility.—Counsels on Stewardship, pp. 273, 274.
 

The practice of borrowing money to relieve some pressing necessity, and making no calculation for canceling the indebtedness, however common, is demoralizing. The Lord would have all who believe the truth converted from these self-deceiving practices. They should choose rather to suffer want than to commit a dishonest act. No soul can resort to prevarication or dishonesty in handling the Lord’s goods, and stand guiltless before God. All who do this deny Christ in action, while they profess to keep and teach the commandments of God. They do not maintain the principles of God’s law. If those who see the truth do not change in character corresponding to the sanctifying influence of the truth, they will be a savor of death unto death. They will misrepresent the truth, bring a reproach upon it, and dishonor Christ, who is truth.—Counsels on Stewardship, p. 255.
 

Make a solemn covenant with God that by His blessing you will pay your debts and then owe no man anything if you live on porridge and bread. It is so easy in preparing your table to throw out of your pocket twenty-five cents for extras. Take care of the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themselves. It is the mites here and the mites there that are spent for this, that, and the other that soon run up into dollars. Deny self at least while you are walled in with debts. Do not falter, be discouraged, or turn back. Deny your taste, deny the indulgence of appetite, save your pence, and pay your debts. Work them off as fast as possible. When you can stand forth a free man again, owing no man anything, you will have achieved a great victory.—The Adventist Home, p. 393.

WEDNESDAY February 1

Surety and Get-Rich-Quick Schemes

The Bible is very clear that God does not want His children to become responsible for the debt obligations of others. In the book of Proverbs, the Lord has warned us against surety—that is, cosigning or being guarantor for another person.

Read Proverbs 6:1–5, Proverbs 17:18, and Proverbs 22:26. What is the message here?

Surety usually occurs when a person with poor credit seeks a loan from a lending institution and does not qualify for the loan. The loan officer will tell the unqualified person that if he or she will get a friend with good credit to cosign with him or her, then the bank will grant the loan and hold the cosigner responsible in the event of a default.

Sometimes a fellow church member will come to you and ask you to cosign. Your response should be: “The Bible says I should never do that.” Please understand that the Bible encourages us to be helpful to those in need, but we should not become responsible for their debts.

Parents are sometimes asked by teenagers to cosign for the purchase of their first car. Or older adult children will ask parents to cosign for a business loan. The same answer applies. It is appropriate to help others if there is a real need, but do not become surety for the debts of others. Studies show that 75 percent of those who cosigned end up making the payments!

Read Proverbs 28:20 and 1 Timothy 6:9, 10. What’s the warning here?

Get-rich-quick schemes are another financial trap; they are almost guaranteed to lead to financial ruin for those who get caught up in them. When it sounds too good to be true, it surely is. Many people are hurt emotionally and financially. An additional tragedy with these devious plans is that, in many cases, individuals have had to borrow money to become involved in them in the first place. Many lives and families have been ruined by get-rich-quick schemes that end up enriching only the con artists who devise them at the expense of those who fall into their trap. When a friend, or even a loved one, tries to pull you into one of these schemes, run. Don’t walk. Run—as fast as you can.


Wednesday, February 1

Surety and Get-Rich-Quick Schemes

The desire of men and women to accumulate property is not sinful if in their efforts to attain their object they do not forget God, and transgress the last six precepts of Jehovah, which dictate the duty of man to his fellow man, and place themselves in a position where it is impossible for them to glorify God in their bodies and spirits which are his. If in their haste to be rich they overtax their energies, and violate the laws of their being, they place themselves in a condition where they cannot render to God perfect service, and are pursuing a course of sin. Property thus obtained is at an immense sacrifice.—Selected Messages, book 2, p. 429.
 

I saw that God was displeased with His people for becoming surety for unbelievers. I was directed to these texts: Proverbs 22:26: “Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.” Proverbs 11:15: “He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretyship is sure.” . . . They pledge that which belongs to another,—their heavenly Father,—and Satan stands ready to aid his children to wrench it out of their hands. Sabbathkeepers should not be in partnership with unbelievers. God’s people trust too much to the words of strangers, and ask their advice and counsel when they should not.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 200.
 

I was shown that it is a dangerous experiment for our people to engage in speculation. They thereby place themselves on the enemy’s ground, subject to great temptations, disappointments, trials, and losses. Then comes a feverish unrest, a longing desire to obtain means more rapidly than present circumstances will admit. Their surroundings are accordingly changed in hope of making more money. But frequently their expectations are not realized, and they become discouraged and go backward rather than forward. . . . Had the Lord prospered some of our dear brethren in their speculations, it would have proved their eternal ruin. God loves His people, and He loves those who have been unfortunate. If they will learn the lessons which He intends to teach them, their defeat will in the end prove a precious victory.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 617.
 

There is a class of poor brethren who are not free from temptation. They are poor managers, they have not wise judgment, they wish to obtain means without waiting the slow process of persevering toil. Some are in such haste to better their condition that they engage in various enterprises without consulting men of good judgment and experience. Their expectations are seldom realized; instead of gaining, they lose, and then come temptation and a disposition to envy the rich. They really want to be benefited by the wealth of their brethren, and feel tried because they are not. But they are not worthy of receiving special help. They have evidence that their efforts have been scattered. They have been changeable in business, and full of anxiety and cares which bring but small returns. Such persons should listen to the counsel of those of experience. But frequently they are the last ones to seek advice. They think they have superior judgment and will not be taught. . . .

They do not take home the instruction of Paul to Timothy: “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, pp. 480, 481.

THURSDAY February 2

Term Limits and Borrowing Points

Read Deuteronomy 15:1–5. What did the Lord require of His people as revealed in these verses?

In harmony with other seven-year statutes (Exod. 21:2; Lev. 25:3, 4), not only were the slaves or servants and the land regulated but also the lenders. Because the lenders did not want to forgive any debts, the longest anyone could be in debt was seven years. Whatever else we can take from these verses, they do show that the Lord cares about these kinds of financial issues, especially when, at that time, they concerned fellow Israelites. These verses also show that the Lord acknowledged the reality of debt, no matter how bad it generally was. He also emphasized that it was to be avoided as much as possible.

Today, by contrast, people in many parts of the world have loans for 30 and 40 years for home purchases. It seems that one reason houses cost so much is that credit is available to provide loans to purchase them.

Meanwhile, many people—parents and students—wonder about borrowing money for an education. As a rule, getting a college degree will enhance a person’s income capability for the rest of his or her life. Some people might have to borrow some money to pay for their education, but keep in mind these factors. You have to pay it back with interest. Try to get all of the grants and scholarships that you can qualify for. Work and save all you can for school. Take only courses that will lead to a job. Have parents help. In Bible times, parents gave their children farmland so that they could make a living. Today that “inheritance” should likely be an education so that they can become independent adults.

In an ideal world, there would be no borrowing and no debt. But because we don’t live in an ideal world, there might be times when it is necessary to borrow. Just make sure that you have the best deal possible and the best interest rate available. Then borrow the very minimum that you need and pay it off as quickly as possible to save on interest costs. In principle, however, to whatever degree humanly possible, we should seek to avoid debt, and by following biblical financial principles in our everyday lives, we can go a long way toward avoiding unnecessary debt and the terrible strain it can put on us and our families.

If you have lent people money, how honest and fair and kind are you in your dealings with them? How would you fare before God when you have to answer for those dealings? (See Eccles. 12:14.)


Thursday, February 2

Term Limits and Borrowing Points

The observance of the sabbatical year was to be a benefit to both the land and the people. The soil, lying untilled for one season, would afterward produce more plentifully. The people were released from the pressing labors of the field; and while there were various branches of work that could be followed during this time, all enjoyed greater leisure, which afforded opportunity for the restoration of their physical powers for the exertions of the following years. They had more time for meditation and prayer, for acquainting themselves with the teachings and requirements of the Lord, and for the instruction of their households. . . .

To the poor, the seventh year was a year of release from debt. The Hebrews were enjoined at all times to assist their needy brethren by lending them money without interest. To take usury from a poor man was expressly forbidden. . . . If the debt remained unpaid until the year of release, the principal itself could not be recovered. The people were expressly warned against withholding from their brethren needed assistance on account of this: “If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren, . . . thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother. . . . Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 532.
 

Mind the little things. It is the little losses that tell heavily in the end. Look after the littles, gather up the fragments, that nothing be lost; for many who look after the larger matters have never learned to guard and save the trifles. Waste not the minutes, for they mar the hours. Persevering diligence, work done in faith, will always be crowned with success. Some men think it beneath their dignity to look after small things. They consider it the evidence of a narrow mind and small spirit to be careful of the littles. Watch the little outgoes; save the little incomes. The smallest leak has sunk many a ship. No derision or jesting should keep us from saving the littles. Nothing that would serve the purpose should be left to go to waste. A lack of economy will bring debt upon our institutions. Much money may be received, but it will be lost in the little wastes of every branch of the work. Economy is not stinginess.—The Publishing Ministry, p. 331.
 

In the prayer which Christ taught His disciples He said, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Matthew 6:12. By this He did not mean that in order to be forgiven our sins we must not require our just dues from our debtors. If they cannot pay, even though this may be the result of unwise management, they are not to be cast into prison, oppressed, or even treated harshly; but the parable does not teach us to encourage indolence. The word of God declares that if a man will not work, neither shall he eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10.) The Lord does not require the hardworking man to support others in idleness. With many there is a waste of time, a lack of effort, which brings to poverty and want. If these faults are not corrected by those who indulge them, all that might be done in their behalf would be like putting treasure into a bag with holes. Yet there is an unavoidable poverty, and we are to manifest tenderness and compassion toward those who are unfortunate. We should treat others just as we ourselves, in like circumstances, would wish to be treated.—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 247.

FRIDAY February 3

Further Thought: The three-step process of debt elimination is actually found on one page of Ellen G. White’s writings. Emphasis has been added to highlight the points.

“Be determined never to incur another debt. Deny yourself a thousand things rather than run in debt. This has been the curse of your life, getting into debt. Avoid it as you would the smallpox.

“Make a solemn covenant with God that by His blessing you will pay your debts and then owe no man anything if you live on porridge and bread. . . . Do not falter, be discouraged, or turn back. Deny your taste, deny the indulgence of appetite, save your pence and pay your debts.

“Work them off as fast as possible. When you can stand forth a free man again, owing no man anything, you will have achieved a great victory.” — Counsels on Stewardship, p. 257.

If you need additional help to become debt-free, try these points:

Establish a budget. Make a simple budget by keeping a record of all your income and expenses/purchases over a period of three months. Many are surprised to learn how much money they spend on unnecessary items.

Destroy credit cards. Credit cards are one of the major causes of family indebtedness. They are so easy to use and so hard to pay off. If you find that you aren’t paying off the cards in total each month, or that you are using them to purchase items that you would not otherwise have bought, you should destroy your credit cards before they destroy you or your marriage or both.

Begin economic measures. Sometimes we aren’t aware of how much we could save on our monthly expenses just by being careful about some of the small things that we purchase. They quickly add up.

Discussion Questions:

  1. 1. The amount of debt that many nations, as well as individuals, have taken upon themselves is staggering. What has been your own experience with debt and the problems that debt has created for you or others?

  2. 2. What could your local church do to help members learn to manage debt or financial issues in general?

  3. 3. What are some Bible promises that you can claim to help protect yourself from the lure of the world and the financial dangers greediness can pose to us?


Friday, February 3

For Further Reading

Selected Messages, “Providing for the Day of Need,” book 2, pp. 329, 330;

The Ministry of Healing, “Business Principles,” pp. 187, 188.

INSIDE STORY

Troubled Boy to Church Elder

By SHERON NDHLOVU

Edmond was a troubled child in Mzuzu, Malawi. He refused to obey his parents, teachers, or any other adult. At school, he hit the other boys and even the teachers. He gained such a fearful reputation that children and adults alike were scared of him.

One day, Edmond decided that it would be fun to disrupt the Pathfinder club. He took his unruly friends to Chasefu Seventh-day Adventist Church, and they mocked the marching and singing Pathfinders. Edmond enjoyed seeing the Pathfinders react, so he and his friends returned week after week.

But as the weeks passed, Edmond became interested in Pathfinder activities. He wanted to know more about what the children were doing and what they believed. When the church organized evangelistic meetings at Mzuzu Stadium, he decided to go, but he did not tell his friends for fear that they would laugh at him. He also did not tell his parents, who belonged to another Christian denomination, because he worried that they might punish him.

At the meetings, Edmond fell in love with the God of heaven and the Lord of the seventh-day Sabbath. Even though he was afraid that the Adventist children and adults whom he had mistreated so terribly would reject him, he summoned up the courage and gave his heart to Jesus in baptism.

His parents found out about the baptism four months later, and they immediately disowned the boy. Edmond stayed in the homes of church members, and they taught him more about the Bible until he became wellversed in its teachings. He also worked odd jobs to pay required fees so he could stay in school. Three years passed. Edmond’s parents saw that he was faithful to God. They saw that he had become a new creature in Christ, and they asked him to return home.

Today, Edmond Tchiri is married to an Adventist wife, and they have two sons. He also serves as an elder at Chasefu Seventh-day Adventist Church, the place where he used to torment the Pathfinders. He says that only God could have transformed the troubled schoolboy into a church elder. “Never look down on children, no matter how bad-behaved they may be,” he said.

Troubled Boy to Church Elder

Thank you for your 2021 Thirteenth Sabbath Offering that is helping to construct a community outreach and leadership development center on the Mzuzu campus of Malawi Adventist University, so more boys and girls, men and women, can learn about the transforming power of Jesus in EDMOND’s hometown and beyond in the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division. This quarter’s offering will support six more educational projects in the neighboring East-Central Africa Division.

Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School mission offerings to spread the gospel worldwide. Read new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.


† Disclaimer: Contents of these lessons are not intended to be financial advice but is general commentary based on biblical principles. The reader is encouraged to seek competent professional advice which will suit their particular personal situation.