Credit

by Zeke Flores

When I was a much younger man, I wrecked my credit. I made foolish decisions, borrowed more than I should have, and made late payments. Soon, the only ones who would lend me money were the high-rate lenders, and even they were wary. It took years to restore my financial good name, and I’m glad to say that today I have a very good credit rating.

The word “credit” is derived from a Latin word meaning “belief in, faith in, a thing entrusted to another.” Since it involves trust, we say that one who is trustworthy has “credibility.” It’s a positive thing, and when someone exhibits high integrity in a thing, we say they’re a credit to what they represent.

I believe Christians should have good credit, both financially and character-wise. I realize that sometimes money troubles are unavoidable, but they shouldn’t wreck our character along with our credit rating. We ought to be people of high integrity, even when, especially when, life around us crumbles. When people see my trust in God during tough circumstances, I hope they’ll see the genuineness of my faith and maybe even cultivate one of their own as a result.

See, I want to be a credit to Christ. I represent His cause, and people ought to know they can trust my testimony and my character. This is because everything I do and say is an extension of my trust, or lack of trust, in Him. And because I trust Him, He’s extended to me a trust, a stewardship, that I must maintain with absolute integrity. I’m a custodian of my relationship with Him, so my moral soundness must be pure, and that means I won’t make promises I can’t keep, financially or personally. Then, maybe people will say, “He’s a credit to his Lord.”

"Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy" (I Corinthians 4:1-2).