SuperLutheran on Nostr: 1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a ...

1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
    have given your pledge for a stranger,
2 if you are snared in the words of your mouth,
    caught in the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, and save yourself,
    for you have come into the hand of your neighbor:
    go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor.
4 Give your eyes no sleep
    and your eyelids no slumber;
5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
    like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
-Proverbs 6:1-5

A common objection among the enemies of Christianity is that our faith would turn us into self-sacrificing slaves. They believe that being a Christian means willingly offering up whatever anyone wants for any reason whatsoever so long as it isn't sin.

But here, Solomon emphasizes that rational self interest plays a role in our lives. If someone asks for you to co-sign a loan, solely for their benefit, the answer is no! They might say "ah but you must love your neighbor, so become my collateral." Your answer must be "my life is worth more than the loan you think you need." Solomon says that if you *do* find yourself pledged like that, then you must do everything in your power to regain your freedom.

Christians must have an attitude of selflessness and generosity. We aren't hustlers and we aren't allowed to be greedy. But Scripture teaches that your life itself, which is precious to God, must also be precious to you. We are told love our neighbors as ourselves: if we do not love ourselves we cannot love our neighbors!

This is why Solomon says what he says. Your life is too valuable to sacrifice to frivolity or someone else's selfish desires. He urges his readers to maintain personal freedom as much as they can, and to keep from entering foolish obligations. After all, being broke or enslaved or disabled because of frivolities or scams hurts our ability to love our neighbors!