If you’ve ever had to pin a boutonniere or corsage on someone, you know the fear of getting poked. The same is true if you open up a package for a new dress shirt that has a thousand stick pins in it (okay, a bit exaggerated!). Guys, have you ever missed one and found it while wearing the shirt?
U.S. Patent No. 6,281 took care of this problem. Allow me to introduce you to the patent holder, Mr. Walter Hunt of New York City.
Hunt had a problem in 1849. He had created a debt and had no way to pay for it. To us, it sounds a bit incredulous because the debt was only $15. In today’s money, that would be about $622.98. Still, it is not super astronomical when you consider that the average household debt today is $105,056.
As an inventor, Hunt tried to create something that could quickly pay off this debt. “He twisted a piece of metal wire and turned it into what he called a “dress pin,” which had a spring at one end that forced the other end into a clasp. Hunt’s invention wasn’t completely new, as ancient Romans used something similar for jewelry; his was an improvement. Another version of a safety pin came out in 1842, but it had no spring, unlike the pins we know today.”1
In his lifetime, Hunt also invented a “repeating rifle, a flax spinner, a fountain pen, a knife sharpener, an ice plough and one of the world’s first sewing machines with an eye-pointed needle.”2
Today, “over 3 million safety pins can be made by one factory in a day, almost 1 billion a year. There are only two U.S. companies that make safety pins, although there are many more companies abroad.”3
We have to applaud Hunt’s desire to pay off a debt. Historians don’t tell us why the debt
was created. However, he didn’t want it looming over his head.
As Christians, we have to understand what the Bible says concerning debt. It might be the American way but is it the Christian way? It would seem that the Bible neither condones nor forbids debt. The Bible doesn’t say that debt is an exercise in faith, nor does it say that the Lord is going to bail us out of debt. Instead, there are some verses that help us make a personal decision concerning debt. God’s Word regulates borrowing and lending with solid financial principles.
Debt makes you a slave to the lender. Proverbs 22:7 says, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” You are bound to the lender and expected to make payment at the appointed time. Don’t believe that you are bound to the lender? Just try missing a few payments and you’ll find out the truth rather quickly.
Don’t borrow beyond your ability to repay and repay quickly. Ecclesiastes 5:4 says, “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.” A debt incurred is a vow to repay. It only makes good sense to pay it off even quicker to avoid the interest.
Don’t cosign. Proverbs 22:26 gives us instructions found in many other verses. “Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.” Someone begs you to cosign and you start to feel guilty. Put your foot down and firmly say NO! Too many relationships have been ruined by cosigning for someone who decides to welch on their debt, leaving the cosigner holding the bag.
The only outstanding debt we should carry is to love others. Romans 13:8 has often been misconstrued as teaching that it’s wrong to have debt. “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” The first part of that admonition could easily be said, “Pay your bills on time.” We can never fully pay the bill to love others.
Two safety pins on the bluef abric
A lifestyle of debt signals a major problem! Some folks live constantly in debt because they don’t have self-discipline and control, are impulse shoppers, or don’t have the patience to save. I realize that there are some in astronomical debt due to medical bills or other unforeseen problems. That’s not what I’m talking about. Some think that whenever the latest and greatest technology hits the market, they should have it. They will buy homes where the mortgage bleeds them dry. They will drive vehicles that our out of their price range.
Most of our debt issues, including those in our country, could be solved if we would all practice Hebrews 13:5. Don’t be stuck by debt. Live out the truth of this verse. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
1https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/April-10/safety-pin-patented-walter-hunt
2Ibid.
3https://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Safety-Pin.html
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