Extortion

In you are people who accept bribes to shed blood; you take interest and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors. And you have forgotten me, declares the Sovereign Lord.

I will surely strike my hands together at the unjust gain you have made and at the blood you have shed in your midst. Will your courage endure or your hands be strong in the day I deal with you? I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.
                                                                           Ezekiel 22:12-14 NIV

Although she is no longer living with me, a young member of my family receives credit card offers in the mail at my home from time to time. I look at these offers and wonder how anyone could reach out so unjustly under the guise of helping them. For those young people who are struggling to get on their feet and provide for themselves; how could anyone offer to help them with credit at an interest rate of up to 28%. How could anyone think that they are helping anyone who has fallen onto hard times by charging them such high interest rates help to get them out of hard times? I am sure they could not truly believing that they are helping anyone but themselves. Rather, they are ensuring that the hard times will continue on for years to come.

Years ago when I worked in Administration for Criminal Investigation there was a case where a military wife was lending money to people in need. She was charging around 20% interest. What she was being investigated for was extortion and loan-sharking. It was a crime back then. But now, there are loop-holes that even banks and credit card companies can jump through to charge very damaging rates to those in need without any fear of prosecution. 

Ezekiel was told to judge Jerusalem for forgetting the Lord and for their unjust dealings with others. The people would not protect those who were being used so God promised that He would deal with those who extort unjust gain from others. I wonder why anyone who claims even the slightest connection to Christ would want God to deal with them by extorting large sums from those in need? Do they not realize that would not be a good thing for them?

We are called to help our neighbors and protect all that they own and to not do anything that would cause them further losses or harm. May God change the hearts of those who would use others for their own unjust gains so that people in need can truly be helped.

God's Peace - Pr. J