I first learned about surety when I took the Crown Financial Ministries small group study class. Not many people have heard of the term before, but it’s definitely a Biblical financial principle that’s important to understand. One of the Crown daily devotions this week explains this principle.
Surety means to deposit a pledge in either money, goods, or part payment for a greater obligation. It means taking on an obligation to pay later without a sure and certain way to pay. Surety is not a biblical law; it is a principle. If you violate the principle, you suffer the consequences.
“A man lacking in sense pledges, and becomes surety in the presence of his neighbor.”
So, what’s an example of surety? I think probably one of the most common examples is the use of a credit card without having the funds to pay off the balance. It happens to a lot of people. You go to the mall, see a shirt you’d like to have, but don’t really have the money to pay for it. You say, “I’ll just throw it on the credit card and will figure out how to pay for it later.”
The problem is that this becomes a habit out of convenience and it also appeals to your emotions. You now have a new shirt and can feel good about wearing out to dinner that night. Unfortunately, tomorrow comes and you realize you owe $50 for your shirt. It doesn’t look that good anymore. 
Okay, so big deal. You’ll sacrifice some spending next month and pay it off. But what people don’t often consider is Murphy entering into the picture. Remember, Murphy? Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. So, you’ve bought the new shirt, but then the car breaks down and you have to pay for that expense instead of paying off the shirt (or other items on your card). Anyway, you get the picture and that’s what God is trying to protect you against!
How do you avoid surety? It’s a matter of only spending when you have the money to spend. While you don’t get to purchase things immediately, you’ll feel better in the long-run by saving the money and buying it when you have it. Such an approach will help protect your financial situation too!
Have you heard of the concept of surety before? How has surety gotten you in troubles in the past?
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