Yes, There’s a Dragon

The Hunt-Lenox Globe is one of the world’s oldest globes, dating all the way back to the early 1500s. One of the things that makes it so interesting is a little inscription the cartographer put right along the eastern coast of Asia. He wrote three words: “Here be dragons.”

To this day there is speculation about what was in his mind when he wrote those words.

- Had he heard some legend about dragons in that part of the world?

- Was he referring to some kind of real animal that since might have become extinct?

- Or was he just pulling everybody’s leg?

I don’t know the answer to that question, but I do know that those words sure spark the imagination. Everybody who has ever looked at that globe and seen those words has stopped to imagine what the cartographer possibly could have been referring to.

There’s just something about dragons that fascinates people. That’s why there are so many dragon stories in literature and mythology. In fact, Goodreads recently published a list of the best dragon stories in literature and there were 302 books on the list.

Number one, according to those who voted, was The Hobbit. If you’ve read the book or seen the movie, you know that Bilbo Baggins and his friends go on a quest to liberate the kingdom of Erebor, and it is the terrifying dragon, Smaug, that stands in their way. That’s often what dragons do…they stand in your way, as we will see today as I continue my sermon series called The Quest.

Last week I invited you to join me on a quest to achieve financial health in a way that honors God. Not just financial health. There are plenty of people out there going on and on about how to achieve financial health. What makes our quest unique is that we’re trying to achieve financial health in a way that honors God.

That’s why I spent last week talking about the importance of following our yellow brick road, which is the Bible. God has given us a clear path to follow in Scripture, very much like what Dorothy and her friends had on their quest to find the Wizard of Oz, and we will not go wrong if we stick to it.

Today, the not-so-happy news I have to share with you is that, yes, there is a dragon we’re going to have to deal with on our quest. It’s a mean old dragon…an ugly old dragon that has brought misery to millions and millions of people.

The dragon’s name is Debt. Let me give you some insight into just how big and powerful and awful this dragon is.

- According to debt.org, consumer debt in America was almost $14 trillion in 2019. That’s trillion, with a “T.” The four key areas where debt just keeps relentlessly climbing are homes, cars, student loans, and credit cards.

- Speaking of credit cards, the average card holder has four cards and the typical household carries about $9,000 of credit card debt at any given time.

- Also—and I’m sure this doesn’t surprise you—debt is a stress producer. People who are deep in debt worry a lot, and worry is the number one cause of stress. And we know that when stress is not managed well it can cause devastating and even life-threatening health problems. Not to mention marital problems. Surveys show that money problems, which almost always include debt, are the second leading cause of divorce behind infidelity.

So make no mistake. The debt dragon is one bad dude. He will absolutely mess up your life. And for that reason, you would think people would run from him and try to avoid him at all cost. But that’s generally not what happens.

Why?

Well, if you saw it, think back to the movie, “The Hobbit.” Do you remember how slick and cagey the dragon was? Do you remember how Smaug tried to deceive Bilbo Baggins with his smooth speech and clever lies?

That’s exactly what you’re up against when you face debt. There are always grand promises of happiness and fulfillment right now and assurances that you don’t have anything to worry about. Debt says, “Oh, don’t worry about those payments. They don’t even start until after Christmas. And since you’ve got them spread out over seven years, they aren’t even that big.”

Oh yes, the debt dragon is very, very cagey. So we have our work cut out for us as we attempt to neutralize him. And neutralize him we must if we ever hope to achieve financial health that honors God.

I think the best way for us to equip ourselves for this challenge is by asking and answering four questions. Here’s the first one:

I. Why is this dragon so big?

In other words, why do we have so much debt? Let me offer three reasons.

First, our entire culture is set up to encourage debt. The best example of this is the typical car commercial. After showing you how the vehicle will perform spectacularly on a curvy mountain road and go from zero to sixty in less time than it takes to tie your shoe, the voice-over artist informs you that you can take the car home for a shockingly low monthly payment and no interest. Of course, he fails to tell you that you will still be making those payments long after the car has earned “beater” status. According to Edmunds.com, about one third of car owners owe about $5,000 more than their vehicles are worth when they trade them.

You’ve probably also received credit cards in the mail with offers of microscopic interest rates, or flyers advertising a blowout sale with a reminder that all major credit cards are accepted.

There are also companies like Disney that know you can’t afford to fork over the cash for annual passes for your family, so they happily offer to set you up on monthly payments.

And on and on it goes. One after another, businesses large and small provide ways for you to have what you can’t really afford. Which brings me to the second reason why the debt dragon is so big:

So many people lack contentment. The commercials and flyers and offers mentioned above are effective because large numbers of people feel that something is missing from their lives. And instead of looking inward to figure out what that might be (which is almost always where the problem is), they look outward and play right into the hands of the advertisers who are showing them images of deliriously happy people driving beautiful cars, taking exotic vacations, and developing washboard abs on exercise machines that cost more than a month’s salary.

Who among us hasn’t watched those commercials with a hint of longing? Who hasn’t heard that inner voice whispering, telling us how happy we would be if we could just do that or have that?

Third, the debt dragon is huge because so many people are looking for stress relief. I heard about a woman whose husband counted over 100 brand new outfits of hers that still had the tags attached, hanging in various closets throughout the house. He said that every time she had a bad day, she went shopping.

But it’s not just women.

You’ve heard the old saying, “The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.” For every woman who goes clothes shopping when she gets stressed, there’s at least one guy who goes to Dick’s Sporting Goods or Bass Pro Shop or Best Buy.

Do you see yourself in any of these reasons? If so, it’s time to do some serious soul searching. Your quest to achieve financial health that honors God is doomed if you continue to feed the dragon.

Here’s question number two:

II. Is the debt dragon evil?

And here’s where you might be surprised.

Debt is not inherently evil. Several passages make this clear.

One is Deuteronomy 15:6. God was instructing the Israelites on how they should conduct themselves in the Promised Land. He said, “The Lord your God will bless you as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations but will never need to borrow. You will rule many nations, but they will not rule over you.”

Think about it. If debt were inherently evil, would God have instructed his people to lend money to other nations? Of course not, because, by doing so, they would have been leading those nations into sin.

Some people point to Romans 13:8 to try to prove that any kind of debt is a sin. That’s where Paul said, “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another.” But a check of the context shows that Paul was talking about relationships, not finances.

I think a much more relevant statement comes from Jesus in Matthew 5:42. He said, “Give to those who ask, and do not turn away from those who want to borrow.”

No, the Bible doesn’t teach that debt is evil. However, it clearly does teach that debt is dangerous.

Proverbs 22:7 says, “Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.”

And Proverbs 22:26-27 says, “Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for someone else. If you can’t pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you.”

It’s so important to understand that just because something isn’t evil doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous.

A car isn’t evil, but it can be really dangerous if you drive recklessly.

Medication isn’t evil, but it can be really dangerous if you take too much.

That ladder in your garage isn’t evil, but did you know that about 300 people a year fall off of a ladder and die…and another 160,000 end up in the hospital?

Just because something isn’t evil doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous.

Here’s question number three:

III. Could the debt dragon ever actually help me?

The answer is yes. It’s always better if you can keep from going into debt, but in certain situations, some debt is okay if it passes three tests.

Here’s test number one: Is the item you’re borrowing against going to go up in value or help you earn an income?

A college education is a good example here. You borrow money to go to school, and when you graduate you’re equipped to get a job and make a living and pay that money back.

Of course, you want to make sure you get an education that’s worth the money you’re paying. If you’re paying a hundred thousand dollars to get an education in a depressed field where there are no jobs, that’s not good. You have to use some common sense.

Here’s test number two: Is the item you’re borrowing against worth more than the debt?

A lot of people like to speculate. They borrow money to buy something because of what they think it might be worth someday. But what happens if it never reaches that value? Suddenly, you’re stuck with a debt that is devastating to your finances.

A simple rule of thumb to follow is simply never to borrow more money than the item you’re buying is actually worth. That sounds simple, I know. The problem is that there are lots of very slick marketing people out there who are very good at persuading the masses to spend their money on things that aren’t worth the cost and never will be. You have to be careful.

And here’s test number three: Is the debt load you’re taking on manageable on your current income?

Listen to this statement: “We can afford the payment if we cut back in other areas.”

If those words come out of your mouth when you’re thinking about buying something, you shouldn’t buy it. Listen to yourself. You’re actually admitting that the debt doesn’t fit.

It’s like saying, “Well, if I don’t wear socks and if I curl up my toes and if I don’t mind getting a blister on my heel, these shoes will fit.” Nobody in his right mind would buy shoes like that, but millions of people take on debt like that. Don’t do it. Be wise enough to admit that you can’t afford it.

And here’s question number four:

IV. How can I subdue the debt dragon?

I’ll give you two steps to follow.

Number one, stop feeding it. Stop adding to your debt.

Think about that person you know who is always on a diet. He or she loses and gains, loses and gains, over and over again in a constantly repeating cycle. The problem with people like that is not that they don’t work out or eat healthy food. The problem is that they don’t do it all the time. They have too many weak moments when they undo all their hard work.

And the same thing can happen with our finances. Lots of people can be good with money for a month or two and then mess everything up with one trip to the mall. You have to stop feeding the dragon.

And number two, if you want to subdue the debt dragon, pay off the debt you currently have.

Don’t even consider defaulting on the debt. Many have done this, but it’s wrong. The Bible calls people who don’t pay their debts “wicked” in Psalm 37:21, so don’t even go there in your thinking. Instead, make up your mind that you’re going do the right thing and pay it off. And I mean pay it off early.

Sit down and come up with a plan. What would happen if you didn’t go on that fishing trip or that shopping trip, but instead took the money you would have spent and applied it to your debt?

Or, what if you went through your house and your garage and identified all the stuff you don’t need and haven’t used in years? Most of us would probably come up with quite a bit of stuff if we did that. So what’s the keep you from selling it and turning it into cash that you can use to pay off some debt?

Or what if you picked up a few more hours at work and dedicated every dollar to paying off debt?

There are all kinds of ways you can find extra money to apply to your debts and get them paid off. And when you do, pressure will be lifted. You’ll be amazed at how good you’ll feel and how much brighter your outlook on life will become.

*

As I wrap up this message, I know some of you are thinking, “This is all real nice, preacher, but you just have no idea how deep in debt I am. I’ve been making bad money choices my whole life. I just feel like there’s no hope for me to ever get out of debt, even if I take all of your suggestions.”

Let me show you why there is hope, and lots of it.

In 2 Kings 4, we’re told about a widow who came to the prophet Elisha with just the kind of problem I’ve addressed in this chapter. The debt dragon had her cornered because her husband had died unexpectedly with lots of unpaid bills. Naturally, her creditors were breathing down her neck. They were actually threatening to take her two sons and make them slaves, so you can imagine the stress she must have been under.

But Elisha, the prophet of God, gave her some curious instructions. He told her to borrow as many empty jars as she could from her neighbors and start filling them with the last bit of olive oil she had in a flask.

I’m sure they wondered why on earth he wanted them to do that, but instead of arguing they did what he asked. They went through the neighborhood collecting armloads of jars, which they brought home to their mother.

And when she began pouring oil into them, something amazing happened: She noticed that her flask wasn’t running dry. She poured and poured and poured, filling jar after jar from her single flask. It was only when there were no more jars to fill that her supply of oil finally ran out. Elisha then instructed her to sell enough of the olive oil to pay her debts, and then live on what was left over.

I love this story because it reminds me of two things.

One, there is no such thing as a hopeless situation as long as God is on his throne.Things may seem hopeless. Others might be writing you off. Vultures may be circling overhead. But our God has a long history of rescuing his people. From the Red Sea to a blazing furnace to a lion’s den to a desperate widow’s empty cupboards, God has shown his power to be greater than any problem we face.

And two, God is most likely to do what he can when we are doing what we can. The clear implication of this story is that if the widow hadn’t been willing to borrow and fill the jars…if she had whined and complained about what was a seemingly pointless task, she wouldn’t have gotten her miracle. But when she humbly followed the prophet’s instructions…when she did her part, God stepped up and did his.

All of this begs the question: If you are diligent in doing the simple things that are within your power, what might God do for you in response? How might he bless you? How might he cause things to work out in your favor? Only time will tell, of course. But considering his long history of muscle-flexing on behalf of his children who are in dire straits, you have every reason to be optimistic.