Be Not a Beggar, Nor a Borrower Be

“The cross must be carried before the crown can be worn.” – C.H. Spurgeon

“Own It Now” is a chain store with locations in five different Florida towns, including Vero Beach. The basic premise is that people who can’t afford to buy something outright can “rent to buy” instead. They simply pick out the piece of furniture, appliance, or electronic equipment that they want… put down a small deposit… and take the item home with them that same day.

But who really owns the item in question: you or the store? I think we all know the answer to that question!

Whereas the customer may get to use the item immediately, they are still required to make a series of interest-laden payments until they finally satisfy the loan. Usually, the total amount paid is far more than the cost of the item had they waited until they had enough money to buy it with cash.

For most of us, such a pay-as-you-go policy is necessary when it comes to larger purchases such as a house or a car. However, it is “bad business” to employ such a financial strategy when it comes to smaller – and often less necessary – items.

Unfortunately, many consumers desire immediate gratification and are willing to incur large amounts of debt in order to “enjoy” something now. “It’s my money and I want it now” screams the ads for J.G. Wentworth, a financial firm that encourages people who won lawsuits to settle for pennies on the dollar so they can get a faster payout.

Well, my friend, such greedy short-sightedness rarely pans out well in material matters and certainly never does when it comes to spirituality. Here is what Charles Spurgeon had to say on the subject, using the biblical story of Laban, Jacob, Leah, and Rachel as an example…

“We do not excuse Laban for his dishonesty, but we are wrong not to learn from the custom that he quoted as his excuse. There are some things that must be taken in order, and if we would win the second, we must secure the first. The second may be the more lovely in our eyes, but the rule of the heavenly country must stand, and the elder must be married first. For instance, many men desire the beautiful and well-favored Rachel of joy and peace in believing, but they must first be married to the tender-eyed Leah of repentance. Everyone falls in love with happiness, and many would cheerfully work for fourteen years to enjoy it; but according to the rule of the Lord's kingdom, the Leah of real holiness must be loved in our soul before the Rachel of true happiness can be attained. Heaven stands not first but second, and only by persevering to the end can we win a portion in it. The cross must be carried before the crown can be worn. We must follow our Lord in His humiliation or we will never rest with Him in glory.”

“My soul, what do you say—are you so vain as to hope to be an exception to the heavenly rule? Do you hope for reward without work, or honor without endeavor? Dismiss the idle expectation, and be content with the despised things for the sake of the sweet love of Jesus, which will more than repay you. In such a spirit, working and suffering, you will find afflictions grow sweet and hard things easy. Like Jacob, your years of service will seem like only a few days on account of the love you have for Jesus; and when the dear hour of the wedding feast shall come, all your toils will be as though they never happened—an hour with Jesus will make up for years of pain and toil.”

“So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.” Genesis 29:20 (BSB)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President

(See also Proverbs 22:7 and James 5:7-11)