The picture of God setting up structures among His people to care for the poor is impressive. Canceling debt after 6 years, imagine that!
Imagine living debt free. What a burden would be lifted off most people’s shoulders.
I realize that our modern world is very different than the ancient one. In many ways we are a credit-based society. Even if we eliminated consumer debt like credit cards, the purchase of a house and a car is accomplished on credit. Then add to this, loans due to college expenses. Debt for many people is a fact of life.
Fact of life or not, debt is a burden we carry on our shoulders. It is a weight that is always there and the poorer you are the more the burden weighs on a person. An illness necessitating time out of work can devastate families on the margin.
Debt can be a killer. Now add the rampant consumerism that plagues our society and the weight of debt grows even more.
Again we are not the ancient world…
God looked down and said people on the lower end need a chance to survive… the Sabbath year, a year to cancel debts. It certainly wouldn’t drive an economic engine but increased quality of life would be tremendous, especially for people on the margins.
God’s heart is that people do not need to feel or be marginalized… a God who cares for everyone, rich and poor alike.
O Lord, if only we could live closer to Your heart and create systems and structures that lift the burden from the down and out and poor among us. I know that no system would be perfect. After all sin-filled human beings are involved but we could do a better job and move a few steps closer to Your ideal. I pray so, Lord. I pray so… in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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