“If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.” Exodus 22.26, 27

These days it is not uncommon for people whose homes have gone “under water” simply to walk away from them and leave the lender with the loss. College students, in increasing numbers, incur tuition debt they have no intention of repaying or, as it turns out, simply cannot repay, so that defaults continue to rise. Credit card debt leads many borrowers to bankruptcy, leaving banks and merchants – and the rest of us – holding the bag of bad debt.

Such bad debt practices are dwarfed by the promises and vows people make, which they casually and routinely break when it becomes inconvenient to fulfill or keep them. The rate of divorce is presently at around 50%, including within the household of faith. So much for “till death us do part.” Church members routinely make “vows” of membership, which they promptly forget and ignore. Politicians make promises on the campaign trail they have no intention of fulfilling once they are in office. Advertisers promise their products will practically change our lives and ensure eternal happiness – before, that is, they either fall apart or wear out.

Bad debt is just an extension of the false promises we – or the economy – “bank” on for happiness in a society driven by materialism and covetousness. We hope only to make “good use” of such practices, and not to be victimized by them ourselves.

T. M. Moore

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