Beware of the Credit Card Trap!

The Bible is explicit on the dangers of getting into debt, and a credit card is one such convenient and sophisticated way to drag oneself into it. A credit card facilitates easy credit from a bank, but it comes at a price – a hefty interest and resultant financial ruin!

When God created Adam and Eve, He had all the provisions in place for them, yet they went off-track and chose something that brought shame and trouble upon themselves. Likewise, God created us and has supplied us with all our needs. Ps 23 says, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall lack nothing. When we use a credit card, we blatantly disregard the above statement; as someone rightly said, ‘Debit is essentially telling God that His current level of provision is not enough for your life, and then arranging how to get more for yourself.’

The Bible has enough warnings on how we could end up in debt as a result of our greed, covetousness, and envy; it also instructs us to be content with what we have. Sadly, many are victims of credit card debts to a point where they blame God for their misery. God doesn’t intend that we lead such a life, and there is very little He will do to help us unless we take the first step to repent and come out of it. Lk 3:14 advises us to be content with your wages.

There is no harm in having a card or two as long as we don’t misuse them. God wants us to be judicious in our spending habits rather than being impulsive. When we have a need to buy something which we can’t quite afford, it is wise to systematically save for it and then buy it rather than hastily using a credit card and getting into a vicious repayment cycle.

Our debts due to our greed will make us stumble in our walk with God. Giving back to God should be our utmost priority since He is the One Who gives us everything, and withholding what we owe Him due to our debts is a sin.

Jesus paid it all, all to Him (alone) I owe!

Lord, help me to depend on You alone and not on my credit cards to meet my needs. Amen