Anna and I take a road that passes through the middle of this vast stretch of land on both sides. This land belonging to multiple landowners were mortgaged to the bank in order to raise loans to plant and cultivate paddy. When the crips failed successively for three times, the landowners had no money left to to pay back the bank. So the property is now unused as the farmers do not have money even to buy seeds to sow. The farm labour is also expensive. Even in our village there are vast areas of land that which remains uncultivated die to the escalation in cost.
It was this bad news which made me reflect on this major issue which farmers face in India. Farmers commit suicide when they are not able to pay back huge debts to the bank. The governments have not done enough to help farmers by promoting modern technology in farming or by providing high yielding seeds.
In the book of Nehemiah, there was an outcry against some jews charging high interest from fellow Jews and and when they failed to retune the money, they lost their land and their children became slaves to the money lenders.
Let me reflect on this from the book of Nehemiah 5: 1-19.
1. The lenders and the borrowers.
It happened to be a season of famine (v3) when some were mortgaging fields, vineyards, and houses to get grain. Thy also had to borrow money to pay the tax to the king (v4). They were forcing their sons and daughters to be slaves (v5) and some of the daughters were forced to be in bondage. Some people had already lost their fields and vineyards to there fell Jews.
Nehemiah engaged the nobles and rulers in a conversation when he held them responsible for usurping the land and fields of their brethren by charging high interest by lending money(v7). Nehemiah raised a resistance movement agist this practice (v7).
This terrible practice was happening while Nehemiah was engaged in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, during which he had to encounter opposition from Sanballat, wealthy men of Samaria, Tobiah (Neh 4:1-3).
Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall to unite the Jewish people to begin worship and reading of the Scripture. But they were already divided with some lending money for usury and others of them becoming fleeced by this heavy burden on them.
2. Equal opportunity
Nehemiah in the assembly of all people reminded them of how he had redeemed the jewish brothers
who were sold to nations. He charged them with an accusation: '..now you would even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us'(v.8)! The nobles and rulers were led to realise the awful act of thriving on the inability of many not being able to pay. Nehemiah and some others were lending money and grain, but without the interest (v10).
It was an occasion for Nehemiah to remind people of the need to walk in the fear of God (v9). It became an opportunity for Nehemiah to extract a commitment from the nobles and rulers that they would return there fields, olive groves, vineyards, and their houses. He even demanded that they returned one hundredth part of the money and grain that they were exacting form them (v.11).
This was one of the social justice initiatives we see under the leadership fo Nehemiah. To so live and wrongly claim the property and the other assets of fellow brethren was presented as unacceptable practice. The distributive justice is a Biblical mandate.
3. A new beginning
The people were sick to respond (v12) by consenting to return the assets demanding 'nothing' from the borrowers. It was a transforming moment in the history of people of Judah, that they agreed to part with usury and all lending would be to help each other and not to make large profits. Jesus of Nazareth advocated that we are to give to those who ask of us and not expecting anything in return. To make lending linked to interest collection seemed a normal market practice but not a morally acceptable practice when profit is the only motive.
The practice in India is that the corporates borrow huge amounts of money from the banks and fail to return it and escape from the clutches of law by declaring themselves as bankrupt. At the same time if a farmer or a small time businessman were to fail to return the money, the banks would prosecute them and punish them.
This is the outlook of a market driven economy, as against the people centred economy where people are enabled to use the borrowed money to invest in activities which others can benefit from. The corporate community seems to focus on gain for themselves.
Nehemiah's outlook is equity, distributive justice and using money to upbuild lives and not enslave them.
4. Living with integrity
Nehemiah used this opportunity to share his way of living. Although he was entitled to the practice of other governors, who laid burden on others, by taking bread, wine and forty shekels of silver (v14), Nehemiah refrained from this and chose to be different. He gave the reason of fear of God for his indulgence in this manner.
It was his habit to entertain one hundred or more people and officials in his table regularly by providing for them lavishly(17-18). He did not claim governor's food allowance as 'servitude was heavy on people'(v18).
This attitude calls us to ponder on how we live mindful of others and express our accountability by reducing expenditure on ourselves. The 'creature comfort' is a dominant thought which influences the way we build our houses and acquire conveniences of all sorts. But if we were to gain benefits for ourselves and live unmindful of others in need, it is only a self acquisitive spirit.
5. Finding favour with God
Nehemiah found favour with God. His prayer showed this, 'Remember me Omg God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people (v19). Nehemiah promoted borrowing and giving to each other. He got people to agree to lend without usury. His appeal to the lenders to return all the assets of others and free children from slavery and bondage yielded quick returns. He appealed his people to be mindful of others.
This is a foundational lesson for pilgrims who follow the ways of Jesus of Nazareth that we belong to each other and are different members in the body of Christ.
6. Social lending
Nehemiah practiced it without charging an interest for the money or grain he lent. I remember Re Peter Miller of St Andrews church, Egmore Chennai, in 1987 when we joined the church and a practice of asking the congregation members to identify the need of a family and bring it to the attention of the congregation. The church would have a Sunday sale after the morning worship and raise about 25 lakhs and designate helping families whom the embers of congregation had identified. It was the school fees and treatment costs which pushed peel to debts. When we left Chennai in 1997, what we missed most was the association with this church, which advocated a consciousness of the needs of others.
I believe churches, institutions, hospitals can practice this. At Makunda Christian hospital, Dr Vijay Anand allows people tp pay the hospital charges in instalments without interest.
This is also the philosophy of micro financing. The money lent is returned with a minimal operation cost and not the accumulated interest.
7. Debt Relief
Once in seven years, it was a custom for the Jewish community to write off all debts and free land back to the owner. Jesus in His parable of sower and seed referred to the yield in sixty and hundred folds. The field yields differently. S then. o it is a risk that all farmers carry with them that their crops would fail now and then. A. farmer had to burn his sugar cane crops near Nasik, as he did not get people to harvest it and the sugar cane factory who had agreed to do it defaulted. He incurred a loss of three lakhs of rupees! Who would write off his debt!
The governments have some plans, but not enough to rescue the farmers from debt accumulation!
8. Financial prudence education
A neighbour of us got his daughter married recently and he is now in debt of three lakh rupees. He has already accumulated fifteen thousand rupees as interest and he is now at a loss about payment as he was not able to work for the last thirty-five days due to stay at home order. He lives in anguish and told me that he has an extra peg to drown his anxiety, which costs him about 200 rupees a day.
I wish we foster social education to reduce unnecessary expenditure and protect our vulnerable neighbours from spending beyond their ability to afford. This neighbour had 800 guests for his daughter's marriage and served a three course meal! He would have spent all his savings on such avoidable expenses.
The social practice of charging usury can change only if we view our wealth asa means for social benefit rather than for exclusive private possession! God is the giver and we are to be stewards of our resources and our neighbours!
6. Social lending
Nehemiah practiced it without charging an interest for the money or grain he lent. I remember Re Peter Miller of St Andrews church, Egmore Chennai, in 1987 when we joined the church and a practice of asking the congregation members to identify the need of a family and bring it to the attention of the congregation. The church would have a Sunday sale after the morning worship and raise about 25 lakhs and designate helping families whom the embers of congregation had identified. It was the school fees and treatment costs which pushed peel to debts. When we left Chennai in 1997, what we missed most was the association with this church, which advocated a consciousness of the needs of others.
I believe churches, institutions, hospitals can practice this. At Makunda Christian hospital, Dr Vijay Anand allows people tp pay the hospital charges in instalments without interest.
This is also the philosophy of micro financing. The money lent is returned with a minimal operation cost and not the accumulated interest.
7. Debt Relief
Once in seven years, it was a custom for the Jewish community to write off all debts and free land back to the owner. Jesus in His parable of sower and seed referred to the yield in sixty and hundred folds. The field yields differently. S then. o it is a risk that all farmers carry with them that their crops would fail now and then. A. farmer had to burn his sugar cane crops near Nasik, as he did not get people to harvest it and the sugar cane factory who had agreed to do it defaulted. He incurred a loss of three lakhs of rupees! Who would write off his debt!
The governments have some plans, but not enough to rescue the farmers from debt accumulation!
8. Financial prudence education
A neighbour of us got his daughter married recently and he is now in debt of three lakh rupees. He has already accumulated fifteen thousand rupees as interest and he is now at a loss about payment as he was not able to work for the last thirty-five days due to stay at home order. He lives in anguish and told me that he has an extra peg to drown his anxiety, which costs him about 200 rupees a day.
I wish we foster social education to reduce unnecessary expenditure and protect our vulnerable neighbours from spending beyond their ability to afford. This neighbour had 800 guests for his daughter's marriage and served a three course meal! He would have spent all his savings on such avoidable expenses.
The social practice of charging usury can change only if we view our wealth asa means for social benefit rather than for exclusive private possession! God is the giver and we are to be stewards of our resources and our neighbours!
M.C.Mathew text and photo)
No comments:
Post a Comment