I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! Nehemiah 5:10
Going to a bank and getting a loan is way that many people get the needed money for something they desire. With getting the loan, it must be paid back. The bank is giving the loan in interest to make more money back, so they charge an interest.
This same principle is found in credit cards also. The world wants to make money and will find any way to do it that they can. The amount of interest required to pay varies from place to place. Some places the interest is very low, while others are extremely high. Either way it is charging a person extra for the service of getting something he needs or wants.
As the people were working hard to build the wall, their finances were not very good. They had to borrow money and grain in order to survive. Each person planned to pay it back, but were also charged an interest on what they had borrowed. Nehemiah was angry with this and demanded that they stop charging interest. He pointed out that they had been brought back from being sold into slavery and were now selling the people again.
Years later Jesus came and gave of Himself freely. He told the disciples that as they had freely received, they should also freely give.
Believers are to be generous with what they have, just as God is generous with what He has. God has freely given believers life. Although people cannot give life, they can freely give of their time, talents and material possessions.
Freely giving, is giving without charging interest. This shows true love for others, rather than a selfishness to get more for one’s own self. Charging interest is greed and being selfish.
There will be times when you have what someone else needs. Be willing to freely give it or loan it to the person. Do not charge him extra for the use. Do not place a heavy burden on the other person. Just as you do not want to be charged extra, do not charge anyone else anything extra.
As you bless the other person, God will be able to, in turn, bless you richly.
Seek ways you can bless others with what they need and then trust God to meet all of your own needs.
I pray today that you will see God’s provision for your life; that you will share what God has blessed you with; that you will not charge others for what God has given you; and that you will be generous as God is generous.
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