July 20
The Cost of
Saying Yes
"A person who has little sense agrees to pay what others owe. It isn’t wise to guarantee someone else’s debts."
Proverbs 17:18, NIrV
Ruby’s hands were clammy as she stared at the loan papers spread across her kitchen table. The numbers blurred together, but Debbie’s voice was crystal clear.
“Please, Ruby. I just need your signature. I swear, I’ll pay every cent back.”
Ruby shifted in her chair, her stomach knotting. Debbie had always been reckless with money—maxed-out credit cards, payday loans, always borrowing but never getting ahead. Now, she was asking Ruby to be her guarantor on a $10,000 loan.
“If I don’t get this, I could lose my apartment,” Debbie pleaded. “I thought you were my friend.”
Guilt hit hard. They had been through so much together—late-night talks, breakups, hard times. Ruby had always been the responsible one, the one who picked up the pieces when Debbie’s world fell apart. Wasn’t that what friends did?
But something gnawed at her. She barely scraped by herself, working long shifts at the diner just to keep up with rent. What if Debbie didn’t pay? Could she really afford to take this on?
Her eyes landed on her Bible sitting on the counter, still open from that morning. She remembered reading Proverbs 17:18, a verse she had never really thought much about—until now.
"It isn’t wise to guarantee someone else’s debts."
Her heart pounded. Was this a warning? She closed her eyes and whispered, “God, I don’t want to let her down, but I don’t want to ruin myself either. What do I do?”
A deep, certain peace settled over her. She knew the answer.
Taking a breath, she looked up at Debbie. “I can’t sign this, Deb.”
Debbie’s expression darkened. “Wow. So much for being there for me.”
“I love you, but I can’t take on this risk.”
Debbie scoffed, grabbed her purse, and stormed out. Ruby sat there, shaken but resolute. Maybe Debbie would never understand, but Ruby knew she had made the right choice. She had trusted God’s wisdom over guilt and pressure.
And for the first time in a long time, she felt free.
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Give me the wisdom to make decisions that honor You.
Help me to be a loving friend without putting myself in harm’s way.
Teach me to listen to Your guidance, even when it’s hard.
Thank You for protecting me from choices that could lead to destruction.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
