Time for Canceling Debts
빚을 탕감해주는 때
신명기(Deu) 15장
1. 매 칠 년 끝에는 면제하라
1. At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.
2. 면제의 규례는 이러하니라 그의 이웃에게 꾸어준 모든 채주는 그것을 면제하고 그의 이웃에게나 그 형제에게 독촉하지 말지니 이는 여호와를 위하여 면제를 선포하였음이라
2. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the LORD’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed.
3. 이방인에게는 네가 독촉하려니와 네 형제에게 꾸어준 것은 네 손에서 면제하라
3. You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you.
4. 네가 만일 네 하나님 여호와의 말씀만 듣고 내가 오늘 네게 내리는 그 명령을 다 지켜 행하면 네 하나님 여호와께서 네게 기업으로 주신 땅에서 네가 반드시 복을 받으리니 너희 중에 가난한 자가 없으리라
4. However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you,
7. 네 하나님 여호와께서 네게 주신 땅 어느 성읍에서든지 가난한 형제가 너와 함께 거주하거든 그 가난한 형제에게 네 마음을 완악하게 하지 말며 네 손을 움켜 쥐지 말고
7. If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them.
8. 반드시 네 손을 그에게 펴서 그에게 필요한 대로 쓸 것을 넉넉히 꾸어주라
8. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need.
Our generous God seems to care so much for the poor and the needy and even servants, so He tells us how to love them: Canceling debts at the end of every 7 years. The debtors also shouldn't have wicked thought of not paying it by delaying paying until the Lord's time for canceling debts as well. If this rule were kept well these days, what could it happen between debtors and creditors?
He also tells about freeing their fellow Hebrew's men or women servants in the 7th year and if they don't want to leave their owners because the owner loves them and goes well with them, they could let them live, but they should do the act of pushing an awl (송곳) through their ear lobe into the door.
These kinds of advice of God must be based on His love and care for His own people. I wouldn't say that He didn't care about any foreigners. He must be the ones who care and love His people, especially, the poor and the isolated ones.
His time for canceling debts and freeing servants at any period seems so logical and humanistic that it lets me check my past life, thinking, "What did I do to the people who owed me? I admit that I didn't require payments to my brothers and sisters (kins), but my neighbors who seem to live well enough, I would ask them pay back sooner or later. When it comes to any one who should serve in any reasons, I tried to be nice and share anything what I have, like an openhanded heart, though it is not enough to their eye sights. Anyway I have tried to not to be tightfisted (주먹을 쥔; 인색한) to anyone who comes to my house. This is not my self praise, rather i can say that it is God's words that have controlled my behaviors like this.
In a nutshell, the Word of God has been playing a good role of leading my life to the place of real richness and happiness, never asking any debts, rather sharing some of what i have and participating in His joy. Plus, this reminds me of His love and mercy of having canceled my sins all at once.
