I once had a person ask me why God said we should not borrow or lend money by quoting this famous line from - Shakespeare! The famed playwright wrote these words in his work The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.
Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play, and is among the most powerful and influential tragedies in English literature. Here are the famous lines so many recall:
“Neither a borrower nor a lender be,
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
This above all: to thine own self be true,”
First, these memorable lines are obviously not scripture. The Bible does not prohibit borrowing and certainly not lending. In fact, the Bible warns against the dangers of borrowing but leaves the door wide open for lending and gives specific instruction that Jews were not to charge interest on loans to other Jews.
Second, the Bible never tells us to be true to ourselves. While we are to be honest and sincere, we are to look to God as the standard of righteousness to measure ourselves against.
Do you know what the Bible says about managing money? Can you imagine how vulnerable you are to making bad decisions if you really do not know God’s principles? If I could ask you to do one thing that would most radically change your life, it would be to read the Bible and understand what it says about your relationship with God and your relationship with money. Then put it into practice.
