“No loans from Jesus – just a gift”
8 August 2007
Hi Guys, another contribution from Rene
Earlier this year I found myself thinking back to a sermon I heard quite a few years ago by an Anglican priest. He had been a schoolteacher earlier in his life and he told a story about a particular experience he’d had. Not long after starting in his new appointment an older more senior teacher approached him for a loan of £10, which he promised to pay back next payday.
The senior teacher promptly did pay back the money, but a couple of days later approached him again for another loan, another £10, which he again promised to pay back next payday. Only this time the loan wasn’t paid back on time. It eventually was, but the priest told of how much he had anguished over it and wondering if he would ever get his money back, so much so that he decided he would never again lend money, but would give it away if he had it to give. His reasoning was that if he gave something away, it was a gift, and therefore he had no reason to expect it back, and therefore no cause for anguish.
I loved that story, and decided it would become my principle also. Over the years God has blessed me with the means to give to others in need, and that Anglican priest is absolutely right. If you give it away, you have no thoughts of expecting repayment, and consequently no anguish about any outstanding debt owed to you. I’ve followed that principle ever since hearing his sermon, except once – just once.
Someone came to me a few years ago – someone I like, a good bloke – asking if I could help him out. He could no longer service a loan and was faced with repossession. Now, I like this fellow, but from what he had told me about himself, and the opportunities it seemed he’d been given during his life, I formed the opinion that he had not been as financially responsible as he might have been. It’s a big thing for me – financial responsibility – organising your life so that you can pay your bills on time, pay your taxes, your rent, your mortgage, or whatever. So I decided I wouldn’t give him the money, but rather, I’d lend it and he would repay me in monthly instalments over a period of two years.
Well, not long after, he fell behind in his repayments. He’d catch up, but then fall behind again, first one month, then two, then three, and all the while I anguished about what was owed to me, and I thought some very uncharitable things about this fellow – whom I liked and counted as a friend. In the end we renegotiated a repayment schedule of smaller instalments to be paid over a longer period. But I was determined the loan would be repaid in full – not so much because I needed the money, but because I believed my friend needed to learn financial responsibility. There was a principle involved, wasn’t there?
Then I read some notes in relation to Jesus’ trial and crucifixion – notes about Jesus not accusing his accusers, not demanding his rights, not protesting about his mistreatment, not anguishing over what others owed him, but instead calling out “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
A little voice was saying to me, “René, look at how much you have in your Super Fund. Look at the investments and assets you have.” “Yes Lord, I know – you’ve been very good to me. The balance sheet shows lots of assets and no liabilities. But Lord, with respect to my friend, there’s a principle involved here, isn’t there?”
“Mmmm”, said the little voice. “Yes, principles. But what about the principles you’ve failed to live up to over the years, René? What about the principles you’ve disregarded – and we’re not talking about a piddling little loan repayment are we?” Ouch!
“And, by the way, your friend hasn’t actually disowned his debt to you, has he? He’s never walked away from it; he’s committed to paying it back – he’s just a little behind, that’s all. And those assumptions and conclusions you’ve drawn about your friend and his situation, are you sure they’re correct? Are they fair?” Ooh! Double ouch!
Jesus doesn’t have any problems with loan repayments. He’s cancelled all debts. With his blood he has paid out all that was owed. He, who had done nothing wrong has compensated for our wrongdoing. When he was numbered with the criminals, he didn’t demand his rights or call a lawyer to set him free. He didn’t accuse his accusers or point out how foolish it was for them to think him a lawbreaker. He didn’t protest that he was being mistreated or judged improperly. He didn’t call down the wrath of God to punish those sinners. Instead he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
When others took away the few possessions Jesus had and sorted through them before his eyes, he didn’t fight to hold on to what was his. He didn’t prove they belonged to him by waving receipts, or identification numbers, or loan agreements in their faces. Instead, he called on his Father to forgive them.
His response to those who mocked and insulted him was to purposely turn aside their anger with a softer answer: the only and ultimate answer for sin – a word of forgiveness. It put my attitude towards my friend’s debt into proper perspective and I was able to cancel his debt.
The effect was immediate; the Anglican priest was right. The anguish associated with wondering if I would ever be repaid evaporated. You see, if it’s not yours to expect back, there is no reason for anguish. A gift is a gift, after all, with no conditions attached.
Such is Christ’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life. He doesn’t anguish over debt, because he knows what he has to give can never be repaid. That’s why grace is a gift, not a loan.
René van den Tol
Sydney Lutheran Parish
19 July 2007
Hi Guys, another contribution from Rene
Earlier this year I found myself thinking back to a sermon I heard quite a few years ago by an Anglican priest. He had been a schoolteacher earlier in his life and he told a story about a particular experience he’d had. Not long after starting in his new appointment an older more senior teacher approached him for a loan of £10, which he promised to pay back next payday.
The senior teacher promptly did pay back the money, but a couple of days later approached him again for another loan, another £10, which he again promised to pay back next payday. Only this time the loan wasn’t paid back on time. It eventually was, but the priest told of how much he had anguished over it and wondering if he would ever get his money back, so much so that he decided he would never again lend money, but would give it away if he had it to give. His reasoning was that if he gave something away, it was a gift, and therefore he had no reason to expect it back, and therefore no cause for anguish.
I loved that story, and decided it would become my principle also. Over the years God has blessed me with the means to give to others in need, and that Anglican priest is absolutely right. If you give it away, you have no thoughts of expecting repayment, and consequently no anguish about any outstanding debt owed to you. I’ve followed that principle ever since hearing his sermon, except once – just once.
Someone came to me a few years ago – someone I like, a good bloke – asking if I could help him out. He could no longer service a loan and was faced with repossession. Now, I like this fellow, but from what he had told me about himself, and the opportunities it seemed he’d been given during his life, I formed the opinion that he had not been as financially responsible as he might have been. It’s a big thing for me – financial responsibility – organising your life so that you can pay your bills on time, pay your taxes, your rent, your mortgage, or whatever. So I decided I wouldn’t give him the money, but rather, I’d lend it and he would repay me in monthly instalments over a period of two years.
Well, not long after, he fell behind in his repayments. He’d catch up, but then fall behind again, first one month, then two, then three, and all the while I anguished about what was owed to me, and I thought some very uncharitable things about this fellow – whom I liked and counted as a friend. In the end we renegotiated a repayment schedule of smaller instalments to be paid over a longer period. But I was determined the loan would be repaid in full – not so much because I needed the money, but because I believed my friend needed to learn financial responsibility. There was a principle involved, wasn’t there?
Then I read some notes in relation to Jesus’ trial and crucifixion – notes about Jesus not accusing his accusers, not demanding his rights, not protesting about his mistreatment, not anguishing over what others owed him, but instead calling out “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
A little voice was saying to me, “René, look at how much you have in your Super Fund. Look at the investments and assets you have.” “Yes Lord, I know – you’ve been very good to me. The balance sheet shows lots of assets and no liabilities. But Lord, with respect to my friend, there’s a principle involved here, isn’t there?”
“Mmmm”, said the little voice. “Yes, principles. But what about the principles you’ve failed to live up to over the years, René? What about the principles you’ve disregarded – and we’re not talking about a piddling little loan repayment are we?” Ouch!
“And, by the way, your friend hasn’t actually disowned his debt to you, has he? He’s never walked away from it; he’s committed to paying it back – he’s just a little behind, that’s all. And those assumptions and conclusions you’ve drawn about your friend and his situation, are you sure they’re correct? Are they fair?” Ooh! Double ouch!
Jesus doesn’t have any problems with loan repayments. He’s cancelled all debts. With his blood he has paid out all that was owed. He, who had done nothing wrong has compensated for our wrongdoing. When he was numbered with the criminals, he didn’t demand his rights or call a lawyer to set him free. He didn’t accuse his accusers or point out how foolish it was for them to think him a lawbreaker. He didn’t protest that he was being mistreated or judged improperly. He didn’t call down the wrath of God to punish those sinners. Instead he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
When others took away the few possessions Jesus had and sorted through them before his eyes, he didn’t fight to hold on to what was his. He didn’t prove they belonged to him by waving receipts, or identification numbers, or loan agreements in their faces. Instead, he called on his Father to forgive them.
His response to those who mocked and insulted him was to purposely turn aside their anger with a softer answer: the only and ultimate answer for sin – a word of forgiveness. It put my attitude towards my friend’s debt into proper perspective and I was able to cancel his debt.
The effect was immediate; the Anglican priest was right. The anguish associated with wondering if I would ever be repaid evaporated. You see, if it’s not yours to expect back, there is no reason for anguish. A gift is a gift, after all, with no conditions attached.
Such is Christ’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life. He doesn’t anguish over debt, because he knows what he has to give can never be repaid. That’s why grace is a gift, not a loan.
René van den Tol
Sydney Lutheran Parish
19 July 2007
Labels: heart sounds
posted by PastorFredVeerhuis at 2:30 PM
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