“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matt. 7:12)
But do not expect the same from them, that is not how the world works my friends.
If you have been born-again and happen to own a business, you must increase your prices as those who distribute the raw materials supplied to you raise theirs, no matter the reason they do so, if you do not, your profit margin will decrease. It is the amount of that profit that we are considering here, how much is enough and how much is greed?
“And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.” (Luke 3:13-14)
If you have not adhered to Proverbs 22:7, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” in your business dealings, you may find yourself in a strait you did not intend to steer towards, for your creditors do not care what your profit margin is, whether or not you can still feed your family as well as before, they want what you promised to them, and they will have it even if you must close your doors and sell off everything.
They will not do to you as you might do to them.
Kindness in the world in this regard my friends goes only as far as the money will allow it to.
Do unto others is the same as giving your cloak to the one who asks for your coat, as allowing yourself to be defamed, giving a drink of cold water to someone. It is loving your neighbor.
No one who claims to be crucified with Christ is to perform shady business deals, we are to be people of our word because we are ambassadors of the Kingdom of heaven, and as we speak and act, those still in the world will envision just what that Kingdom is like.
That verse from Proverbs about being a slave was stated this way by my grandfather long ago, “If you have it in your billfold, you can afford it, if you don’t, you can’t.” But it’s that love of money, isn’t it, or perhaps instead, it is those items that can be obtained because of it.
What about that fifteen-year fixed rate so that you can finally have a house of your own? Are you presupposing on the grace of God? What about all those orders you need to fill to keep your business viable? Whose business is it actually, yours or your creditors? Whose house do you live in, yours or the banks?
What they will do to you if you cannot make your payments is take all you have, they will do unto you as you promised when you signed your name on the dotted line no matter the circumstances or the possible consequences to you or your family. Give any and every excuse you can imagine, plead and cajole all you want, you were the borrower, so you are the slave.
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)
Doing unto others as you would have them do unto you is not the way of the world, but it is to be our way. If you cannot perform the obligations of a slave to the lender, then they will take what you wrongfully have considered yours all this time, do not look for mercy from the wicked.
There was a servant once who owed much to his master and his master forgave him, yet he would not forgive the one who owed him little. If they take all you have because you cannot pay what you promised, that is not God’s fault, it is yours.
If you cannot be content with what you have, with what you can afford today, you will never be content. If you believe those in the world will do unto you as you do unto them, think again.
