“(If) you have been snared by the words of your mouth…Do this, then, my son, and free yourself, for you have put yourself in your neighborʻs power: Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor.” (Proverbs 6:2-3)
There are many Proverbs that deal with finances and this section deals with an unwise decision to get “financially tangled up.” The author is giving life advice (as a loving father to his son) for a situation that has great potential for harm.
1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” Even in financial pledges, we are to bring glory to Him. When we “guarantee” something for someone (i.e. co-sign a loan or give a recommendation) and that person defaults, it reflects on us, reflects on God, and we, by being the guarantor, now impact our family finances. The author urges us, when we realize what weʻve done, to make all effort to get out of that situation. Like a hunted animal tries to escape from a trap, we need to urgently get away! We should forget about injuring our pride or feeling tired or lazy, we should do everything we can to become untangled.
Our actions, and even the actions of those that we vouch for, reflect on God. Proverbs 13:3 says, “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” Let everything we do, including who we financially associate with and how we use the resources God has given us, be for His glory.