Lend & Borrow

“Neither a borrower not a lender be.”

Though this may sound like a statement that could have been taken from scripture, it is not! It is actually a quote from William Shakespeare’s work that is also sometimes attributed to Benjamin Franklin.

The Bible does have lots to say about money and even the borrowing and lending of it, but this statement isn’t there.

It is one of those quotes however that we repeat and hear repeatedly to the point that it can become part of our mindset, shaping our attitudes towards more than money.

With a self sufficient mindset, this can easily shift from an attitude just about money to even include how we share our time, our possessions, our love, and even our faith. Instead of giving of ourselves . . . lending of ourselves, our mindset can become one of maintaining for ourselves . . . not giving or lending because I need to make sure that I take care of me . . .

I was recently reading “Nurture” by Lisa Bevere and a phrase that she used jumped out at me: “I just lent her my strength” . . . lend her your strength . . . it was used in the context of walking along side someone who is in the midst of a struggle . . . lending faith where faith is wavering . . . lending strength where there is weakness . . . lending hope when hope is lost . . .

Sounds a little bit like “carrying each others burdens . . .” – and that is in scripture! (Gal 6:2)

This reminded me of the story from Exodus 17. Moses and the Israelites are not long out of Egypt. They are attacked by the Amalekites so Moses sends Joshua and some men out to fight. He promises to do battle as well as he tells Joshua he will “stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands . . .” (vs. 9)

As the battle rages, as long as Moses holds up his hands the Israelites are winning but whenever he lowers his hands, the Amalekites begin to prevail.

It was a tough battle. Moses got weary. He needed someone to lend him their strength.

“When Moses hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up – one on one side, one on the other - so that his hands remained steady til sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” (vs. 12,13)

Are you in a battle right now? Does it feel like your hands are getting heavy and the battle will be lost? Do you need to allow someone to walk with you . . . to lend you their strength? Allow yourself to be a borrower!

Look around you. Someone else is in a battle right now too. You may have already walked the road that they are on. On the other hand, maybe you haven’t. Remember that Aaron and Hur didn’t have a lot of battle experience to draw from – they were very recently slaves themselves but they stepped up and supported Moses until the battle was won. Someone needs you to come along side them to hold up their hands . . . they need you to lend your strength until the battle is won. Go ahead . . . be a lender!

Ruth