Free Yourself

          My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another, if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor! Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler. (Proverbs 6:1-5) 

          I suppose something like this still happens. People may not be as close or dependent on their neighbors as they once were, but “neighbors” can include family members and friends. You co-sign a loan or provide collateral. Everything seems to be going along perfectly, until the collection agency calls you because that family member of friend missed payments. 
          Solomon’s advice is wise. My own reaction, if my finances allowed it, would probably be to pay the bill. Maybe afterwards, I’d have a talk with the guilty party, and swear that I will never get into the situation again. The problem is that doing so really isn’t good for the guilty party. It may relieve his immediate problem, but it won’t make him responsible person. 
          Solomon tells his son that the best idea is not to get into the situation in the first place, but if you do, the next best course of action is to keep after the debtor until the debt is repaid and you are free.
          There’s another situation that I think close enough to mention. Have you ever been on committee? Have you ever agreed to work on a project with someone? I have, and the same sort of problem has cropped up more than once. One or more of the committee members are just too busy to do what they originally agreed to do. Or they can’t figure it out, now that the deadline is upon you. As with the hypothetical debt, my tendency is to descend upon the person and do the work for them. Save the team, even if it destroys the person. 
          Again, the right answer would seem to be to keep aware of what is happening and, if necessary, hound the person who lags. I’m not saying to be mean, but to make sure that he is carrying his part of the load. Now, if I can only remember this when I find myself in the situation again.