Getting out of debt

There must be many people struggling with debt at the present who would find part of the book of Nehemiah (Old Testament of the Bible) uncannily relevant. The passage demonstrates how easy it is for debt to mount up and the need for fair and just solutions. Do read on...

The story of Nehemiah focuses on the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem many years after the people had been conquered by the Babylonians and most taken into exile. This task was not only of practical value, it was also highly symbolic. Nehemiah's single-minded approach to this task for which he appears not to possess any natural ability is exceptional. The whole work is accomplished in just 52 days by mobilising and inspiring a work force. Yet in the middle of the task Nehemiah appears to take time out to address a major social issue - debt.

It is possible that the initial cause of the problem was a famine that had affected the area, pushing up the cost of food. But as so many have found today, it is all too easy to be caught in a debt spiral. In order to purchase food many had mortgaged their homes and land. But the cost of food was not the only problem. There were also taxes that had to be paid to the Babylonian empire. The only solution was taking out loans and it appears that there were plenty of loan sharks around charging high rates of interest. When all else failed the only way in which the poor could keep going was essentially to sell themselves into bonded service - a form of slavery. So the rich got richer and the poor got steadily poorer.

The first thing that Nehemiah did about this was to point out the immorality of the situation, and to shame the exploiters into appropriate action. The second thing he did was to stop the exorbitant interest charging on loans. The third thing he did was to take fiscal action and he immediately stopped claiming income to which he was entitled as the local governor. All of that would have been good but he went one stage further and opened up his home as a place of hospitality for others - a kind of early soup kitchen, only better!

When people get into financial difficulties they need help to get out of the mess, not help to get deeper into it. So I am encouraged by the many programmes that Christians and churches are engaging with in order to help those struggling with debt and money supply problems. Two are worth specific mention. They are "Christians Against Poverty" (www.capuk.org) and Credit Unions (www.abcul.org).

Credit Unions are not exclusively Christian but it is a movement with its roots in the Christian churches and many churches are involved. These are a source of well managed loans for people who would have difficulty borrowing from elsewhere and could become victims of loan sharks. They are properly managed and supervised by the FSA. Interest rates are charged but these are lower than elsewhere. Christians are encouraged to become savers with their local Credit Union. You can still earn some interest but know that you are helping others. Local Credit Unions often also welcome volunteers from churches.

Christians Against Poverty will provide immediate help for people already in trouble. They can help in a number of ways to stop the debts from spiralling and help people to manage their own way out of difficulty. Branches of CAP can be found all over the country run through local churches.

Jesus is in the business of setting people free, and that is just what he would want his people to do too. Both CAP and the CUs have responsible programmes for doing just that and every Christian could do something with either or both to make a real difference to someone today like those we read about in Nehemiah chapter 5. Whatever other priorities we may have (just as Nehemiah had) there are some issues that cannot be ignored.