I read an article by Jeffrey Strain called 10 Reasons Why You’re Not Rich that impacted me to break it apart, compare it with the word and see where I stood. I had some learning to do so I’m bringing it to you. The first point was to stop making excuses and you can read that here.
2. Caring what your neighbors think.
So many of us are trying to keep up. Buying the new car because of what the commercial says it says about us. Buying new clothes and shoes when we can’t afford it because we worry about what it says about us.
Prosperous people will tell you this rule: You never invest in something that depreciates. How many of you would buy a stock if you knew it would go down in price instead of up in price? People are watching their money decline right now, but poor people, people with a poverty mentality, throw good money after bad investments. Some people are at the mall every payday but they don’t own a home or have a savings, or a worthy credit score. We need to be smarter than that.
Deut 15:4 However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, 5 if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. 6 For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you. 7 If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. 8 Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.
Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Pay what you owe. We must quit cheating, trying to get something for nothing, and wondering why we aren’t blessed. If you borrowed money go pay it back. These seem like basic human principles don’t they?
Psalm 37:21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
Romans 13:7-7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. 8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
Don’t worry about what your neighbors think. Live life with a generous spirit and a worry-free heart, not looking left or right to see what others are doing but do what you know is right.
Pastor Susan 
Yet, there will be poor because of oppression. There will be liars who take in even the righteous with smooth words of profit. I’ve seen astute people taken in by someone with an impeccable record and reputation, only to lose everything to an elaborate scam. Part of profit is risk, without risk there is rarely any increase, but it isn’t gambling for there is a fine line.
Jesus also spoke to people who borrowed money in the parable of the one who owed little and another much. There is a time for simply forgiving debts too—every 7th year in the law, this is both in the law and NT theology. There are those who through no fault of their own have hit wall after wall of bad circumstances—weather disasters, market problems (sales go down), illness or death in the family. These things cannot be ignored as factors for losses.
However, I liked the 1st principle as a guideline here: don’t make excuses to not try. Bad things happen to even good people.
I’ve spoken about my dad’s heart attacks when I was 11. We were around $15,000.00 in debt in 1969 due to a business loss when he went to work for a logging outfit and $2500.00 away from paying it off when his health broke. Once he was down, the bills mounted and the creditors circled like vultures. It took 2 years to get where we could even get off food stamps—that’s with Mom working as a nurse full time as well as overtime. I’ve been taught a good work ethic. But all the ethics in the world cannot make up for one major disaster unless there is a community which pitches in to help.
And I think that’s what the gospel is all about—us not living as lone wolves but flocks of sheep protected by their numbers and the Shepherd.