DAY 30 DECEMBER 2014 Theme: MANY REFUSE TO LEND, NOT BECAUSE OF MEANNESS, BUT FROM FEAR OF BEING DEFRAUDED NEEDLESSLY. NEVERTHELESS, BE PATIENT WITH SOMEONE IN HUMBLE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND DO NOT KEEP HIM WAITING FOR YOUR ALMS. HELP THE POOR FOR THE COMMANDMENTS SAKE, AND IN THEIR NEED DO NOT SEND THEM AWAY EMPTY-HANDED. [ECCLESIASTICUS 29:7-9 NRSV]. ECCLESIASTICUS 29 1 The merciful lend to their neighbors; by holding out a helping hand they keep the commandments. 2 Lend to your neighbor in his time of need; repay your neighbor when a loan falls due. 3 Keep your promise and be honest with him, and on every occasion you will find what you need. 4 Many regard a loan as a windfall, and cause trouble to those who help them. 5 One kisses anothers hands until he gets a loan, and is deferential in speaking of his neighbors money; but at the time for repayment he delays, and pays back with empty promises, and finds fault with the time. 6 If he can pay, his creditor will hardly get back half, and will regard that as a windfall. If he cannot pay, the borrower has robbed the other of his money, and he has needlessly made him an enemy; he will repay him with curses and reproaches, and instead of glory will repay him with dishonor. 7 Many refuse to lend, not because of meanness, but from fear of being defrauded needlessly. 8 Nevertheless, be patient with someone in humble circumstances, and do not keep him waiting for your alms. 9 Help the poor for the commandments sake, and in their need do not send them away empty-handed. 10 Lose your silver for the sake of a brother or a friend, and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost. 11 Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High, and it will profit you more than gold. 12 Store up almsgiving in your treasury, and it will rescue you from every disaster; 13 better than a stout shield and a sturdy spear, it will fight for you against the enemy. 14 A good person will be surety for his neighbor, but the one who has lost all sense of shame will fail him. 15 Do not forget the kindness of your guarantor, for he has given his life for you. 16 A sinner wastes the property of his guarantor, 17 and the ungrateful person abandons his rescuer. 18 Being surety has ruined many who were prosperous, and has tossed them about like waves of the sea; it has driven the influential into exile, and they have wandered among foreign nations. 19 The sinner comes to grief through surety; his pursuit of gain involves him in lawsuits. 20 Assist your neighbor to the best of your ability, but be careful not to fall yourself. 21 The necessities of life are water, bread, and clothing, and also a house to assure privacy. 22 Better is the life of the poor under their own crude roof than sumptuous food in the house of others. 23 Be content with little or much, and you will hear no reproach for being a guest. 24 It is a miserable life to go from house to house; as a guest you should not open your mouth; 25 you will play the host and provide drink without being thanked, and besides this you will hear rude words like these: 26 Come here, stranger, prepare the table; let me eat what you have there. 27 Be off, stranger, for an honored guest is here; my brother has come for a visit, and I need the guest-room. 28 It is hard for a sensible person to bear scolding about lodging and the insults of the moneylender. [NRSV]. The wisdom-teachers were completely brunt and quite indifferent on the respective subjects of debt procurement, debt guarantee and debt repayment. Todays message, however, brings a more humane tone to add to all they ever had to say. In every debt procured, borrowers and lenders alike are always at disadvantage. A borrower could decide not to pay the money owed at the right time even though he has obtained an amount of money that is just enough to settle the debt and fend for his own basic needs. The lender himself could die a thousand times and over worrying of a dire financial need he could have met if the borrower had paid the required amount of money in due time. But the borrower is supposed to be at a more disadvantaged position compared to the lender, or so it is thought. A lender could get impatient and embarrass a borrower in public without warning or notice, and this tactic can only succeed or fail. And if the lender will have his way, the borrower will lose all his earnings and the very last of his properties. But its worse for a person who guarantees a debt or loan. How is he sure the borrower is going to pay the lender the money owed at the right time? What if things dont turn out so well in the economy for everyone even though the borrower wants to pay? Why will he that guarantees a debt or loan have to bear the brunt of a failed transaction between the borrower and the lender? To guarantee a debt or loan (against these fundamental questions) for anyone (good or bad), one must be another Jesus Christ; its a risky venture which is not so different from laying down ones life for a friend! Its been given to me to see into the wisdom of the wisdom-teachers on the whole matter. About 10 years ago when I first decided to publish a book of quotes/poems/love songs and personal reflections, my mom and uncle who knew all about it would not oblige me even though they both praised the book venture in my hearing, for they had too many challenges demanding their financial assistance; my Dad had suddenly passed on some 4 or 5 years earlier without having a final word with me and so I had to look up to my mom and uncle for the financial assistance Id need throughout my undergraduate days in the university. Would it be thoughtful of me to burden them even more with this book venture of mine? I informed them at least, but I decided on my own to save the money I needed for the project. Cutting short some of my daily meals and avoiding spending on luxuries, I quickly realized about #15000 at the time. I told the man who would have been my first publisher in the book industry that I had personally saved that much in the time being and Id like to save a little more before I get back to him; he insisted thats enough to get us started, so I handed over the money to him. When next I came around, he told me Id need to raise some #30000 more to get us started. Dejected, I walked away and never came back. Its amazing how my dream and passion to write survived and found me again. I never called or visited the man again but somehow, we do meet and the first thing hed say without prompting is, That your money that Im still owing you, Ill certainly pay you. Even this year, few months ago, I stumbled across the man in a city away from the city and he sang the same old song which, strangely, drew more sympathy than anger from me. The year 2014 has been a year of pleasant surprises as well as painful intrigues for me; a fair mix of blessings and disappointments altogether. I borrowed less and lent more; to cap it all, I successfully went through with a productive venture which has inspired friends and foes alike and given me a lot to learn from. I should be smiling to the bank, to the school, to the workplace, to the market, to the house, to the church, to Heaven even, isnt it? Of the seven or more people that borrowed from me this year, two are particularly outstanding, for they borrowed more. But the different attitudes of the two is what should be the center of attraction for us all. The man, a trusted friend and elder brother, got only half of the money he was expecting but decided to pay me the full amount he owed me at the agreed time and even went on to tell everyone how kind I had been to him in the year. It was this money that I used to put more things in place towards the successful launching of the book. Still, I expected others to pay; I wasnt thinking so much of the festive holidays then as I was thinking of the book project. I wanted to be certain Id completely balance the financial account I have with the publisher and settle all outstanding bills by the end of the book launch so I can own up more gracefully to success or failure. Then came this working-class woman, who I treat like a sister. Shes no girlfriend of mine and Im neither her husband nor her in-law but I closely assisted her- spiritually, morally and financially- when she had problems with paying for her sick mothers medication and also paying her rent at the point of eviction. I was quite happy when, at long last, she walked in to say she has gotten some money and I should forward to her my bank account details so she can pay whatever money she was owing me. That was just how good it went. In the days ahead, she had still not paid my money and her phone suddenly became unreachable. When at last a phone call went through to her line from my line, she began to tell me stories from Greek Island. My book launch came and went; she didnt attend, neither did she call to ask how it all went. Finally, I sent her a goodwill Christmas message; she didnt reply, neither did she call. And though Im trying so hard not to hate her or any other woman for that matter, one thing is most likely; my personal loan policy, prayer points as well as register of friends and associates may not be the same in the new year. Early this year or late last year, perhaps, I heard a priest preach on the subject. Someone borrows from you but doesnt pay and then comes back to borrow from you again. And what will you do but lend more? he asked rhetorically. He didnt sound like one who was sharing a personal experience with the congregation; were he here to hear about my personal experience, would he hold a different opinion or advice for me? What do you think the wisdom-teachers themselves are saying on this whole matter? The wisdom-teachers, finally, have no final advice or rules to give on the debt palaver; they leave the whole matter to your conscience and discretion. However, they encourage kindness to the poor and needy. Did you hear rightly? This very year, I voluntarily sent some free gifts to someone close who didnt lack, so she didnt even have the cheap courtesy of saying I received your gifts in place of the now expensive thank you! Such extravagance for my part! Why is the Spirit prompting me to tell you this? Is it really so you can know about the great sufferings of so little a witness of Christ? Perhaps so. The Devil gives me a lot to lament about, but God gives me a lot more to praise Him for. And I prefer praise songs to lamentation songs, so I sing praise songs instead of lamentation songs. A case in point? From the venue of my recently conducted book launch where I knelt down to say Thank you Jesus, Ive not stopped telling whoever asked me about the event that I thank God it has all come and gone and I can now face other challenges as well. If people should thank God even for expectations that are not met, how can God be pleased with you and exonerate you for not giving thanks for little kindness shown you at least? But there is more in my personal experiences for you than just this. Will you consider now? When you give a gift, give to people who are in need; give at the point of need. These at least will multiply thanks even for the little youve given and their praises will ascend to Gods throne in Heaven. Then favours will abound like sunshine from Heaven and dew from the earth. Is this not one truth that even the Gospel recalls our hearts and minds to? Gifts are important in a relationship, but life is worth much more than gifts. Some days Im afraid of showing to my mom gifts I intend giving to others, for her generosity exceeds mine. She will say, son, double this so it will be just enough! If I have more with me, I gladly do just that; if I dont, I simply feel discouraged. While she insists on giving to expectation (the givers expectation as well as the receivers), I opt rather for giving with capacity (the givers capacity to give and the receivers capacity to receive, beyond which expectation itself needs not rise). What more? The little gifts offered could be just what is needed at the moment. And to crown it all? Ones presence is often needed more than the gifts; ones gifts, in this case, only registers the much needed presence. Ive had the lifetime privilege of sharing the joy of homes where my presence is welcome. Sometimes, I look all around me to be certain Im the reason for the jubilation. And even when Im all alone but I remember one or few persons who mean a lot to me, I say to myself with the utmost conviction, I need to see this person even though I have only little with me!
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 00:13:11 +0000