Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Finances

One of the principles on finances that my parents drilled into me throughout my childhood was "Never, ever co-sign a loan with anyone." 

Hubby and I have followed that advice to our benefit.


In my teen years their admonitions of "Don't co-sign on loans" also included examples of the tribulations of friends and relatives who struggled financially when the individual they "helped out" couldn't make their monthly payments.


Those examples stayed with me.


But only when I was an adult did I realize that their financial principle passed down to me was from the Bible. 


Eventually two verses related to my parents' financial admonitions caught my attention.


Proverbs 11:15 NIV Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe. Proverbs 11:15 NIV 


As I started reading the Bible through each year, I found more of my parents' pithy sayings that came from the Bible.


Another verse of wisdom that has guided our decisions:


Romans 13:8 ESV Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8 ESV 


And our parents' stance on co-signing did not mean they ignored the financial or health challenges that friends and relatives faced.They found other ways of helping rather than totally assuming someone else's debt.


I am thankful for the firm foundation that our parents gave us.


 


-30- 




11 comments:

  1. Now that we are mature adults, the lessons given by parents has become more valuable .

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  2. I like the idea of helping in other ways.

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  3. Firm foundations from the Bible...what better advice and help is there?
    We are in the midst of financial difficulties, of our own doing...
    We have turned it all over to the Lord and I can attest to His direction for things currently and those in the future.
    Without the Lord in our lives we would be in deep trouble.
    Isn't it something how the older we get the words of our parents ring true?
    Good post today. Thank you
    Sue

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  4. Thinking and praying for you and all of those in Harm's way during this hurricane.
    Take care
    Sue

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  5. Dear LC, like you, I am deeply grateful for my parents. Each year, as I age, that gratitude seems to deepen as I come, more and more, to understand their struggles and their commitment to one another and to their children. They were and continue to be a blessing in my life. Peace.

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  6. I had no idea that was an admonition from the Bible, either, and our Baptist household spent a lot of time with the Bible. I learned that lesson from direct observation. Dad's much-troubled, year-older brother got out of prison for the second or third time when I was nine or ten, vowing to remake his life. Jobs were plentiful where we lived, so he came to our community and soon had an offer of work. However, he needed a car to get back and forth in our area, which had no workable public transport. Dad, always guarded about our very limited resources, caved and co-signed for a car. My uncle got into trouble in some way too shameful for my parents to tell me and left town. He didn't leave the car with Dad to resell or even take it with him. He burned it on the side of the road, leaving Dad to continue to pay notes on a car hauled to a junk yard somewhere. We had a hard time financially for a while, and some health setbacks among us children soon after set us back further. It took Mom and Dad a long time to get over the financial hit, but I think the loss of his good name hit Dad harder. Growing up, I thought my uncle had done it for spite, but now having watched a crime show or two, I wonder what he was trying to cover up.

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    1. How courageous of your dad to keep going in the face of such betrayal! He must have suffered to have you and your siblings and mom bear the consequences.

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  7. A similar example in my life as my father was a banker in St. Paul who often gave me advice to guide my financial acumen as an adult thanks dad

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  8. Thanks for commenting on my blog Linda. Enjoy your vacation time and the wedding. I'm glad to find out you are okay and just doing life. post when you can.
    Sue

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