Surety, Surety, I Say Unto You
Proverbs 6:1-5
Dangerous Promises
1 My son, if you become surety for your friend, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, 2 you are snared by the words of your mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth. 3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; for you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; plead with your friend. 4 Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. 5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Proverbs 11:15
He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, but one who hates being surety is secure.
Proverbs 17:18
A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, and becomes surety for his friend.
Proverbs 22:26
Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, one of those who is surety for debts...
I met up with 2 friends yesterday who had jointly gotten themselves into being guarantors for a friend's 10K loan. It's a friend they trusted, one who helped them tie through some financial difficulties during their times of need.
It takes little to guess where I'm going with this. To cut the long story short, they end up having to max their credit cards and took loan from undesirable source because that friend couldn't pay up the loan. My heart goes out for them, more so because I don't have the means to help. My relationship with them does not allow me to do so either. And I admit it's also somewhat related to a bad experience I blogged about a few months ago (which was possibly misunderstood by someone).
This is not the only case I've personally heard about. My own experience speaks for my attitude towards such situations. If one is capable to be a surety, might as well just offer an interest-free loan to your friend in need. Compassion has to be acted out with practical wisdom, too.
The wise man, Solomon, has spoken. Ignore at your OWN risk and make SURE you're the only one who needs to bear the consequences.
Dangerous Promises
1 My son, if you become surety for your friend, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, 2 you are snared by the words of your mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth. 3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; for you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; plead with your friend. 4 Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. 5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Proverbs 11:15
He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, but one who hates being surety is secure.
Proverbs 17:18
A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, and becomes surety for his friend.
Proverbs 22:26
Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, one of those who is surety for debts...
I met up with 2 friends yesterday who had jointly gotten themselves into being guarantors for a friend's 10K loan. It's a friend they trusted, one who helped them tie through some financial difficulties during their times of need.
It takes little to guess where I'm going with this. To cut the long story short, they end up having to max their credit cards and took loan from undesirable source because that friend couldn't pay up the loan. My heart goes out for them, more so because I don't have the means to help. My relationship with them does not allow me to do so either. And I admit it's also somewhat related to a bad experience I blogged about a few months ago (which was possibly misunderstood by someone).
This is not the only case I've personally heard about. My own experience speaks for my attitude towards such situations. If one is capable to be a surety, might as well just offer an interest-free loan to your friend in need. Compassion has to be acted out with practical wisdom, too.
The wise man, Solomon, has spoken. Ignore at your OWN risk and make SURE you're the only one who needs to bear the consequences.
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