It started with the fridge. The old one was on its last legs, and the appliance store had a sign in the window: no deposit, low weekly payments. It seemed sensible. Then, a few months later, the same store offered a sofa on the same terms, and the sofa really was worn. Then a television for the children, because everyone else had one that size. Then a washing machine. Each payment on its own was small. Together, one Friday, they added up to more than the rent.
Nobody in that house decided to get into debt. They simply walked through a series of small, open doors.
Covered from the beginning
In Genesis, after Adam and Eve disobeyed, one of the first things God did was to clothe them. “For Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). It is a tender moment in a grim chapter. They were exposed and ashamed, and God covered them.
Paul picks up the language of clothing when he writes to the Romans: “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts” (Romans 13:14). To put on Christ is to be covered by Him, and to take on His character day by day, as surely as we get dressed in the morning.
And then there is that second phrase, which is intensely practical. Make no provision. Do not set things up in advance so that giving in is easy.
The provisions we make
When we think of temptation, we often think of dramatic sins. But for many Christian households, one of the most persistent and damaging temptations is quieter: the pull to spend what we do not have, on things we do not need, to feel better or to keep up.
And we make provision for it without noticing. The store card kept in the wallet “for emergencies”. The shopping app with the saved card details, one tap away at midnight. The notifications for sales. The habit of browsing the hardware store on a Saturday with nothing in particular to buy. The friend who always suggests a little retail therapy. The payment plan that makes a big purchase feel small.
None of these is sinful in itself. But each is a small door left open. And once debt has walked in, it has a way of taking over the house: the stress at the kitchen table, the arguments over money, the shame of avoiding calls, the dwindling ability to give or to save for the things that matter.
Closing the doors
Paul’s wisdom is not just “try harder”. It is “arrange your life so that the temptation has less room”. In the home, that might look like:
- Cutting up, or at least putting away, the store cards you do not need.
- Deleting saved card details from shopping apps and websites, so every purchase takes a moment of thought.
- Unsubscribing from sale emails and turning off shopping notifications.
- Agreeing, as a couple, a sum above which neither of you buys anything without talking to the other first.
- Keeping a “wait list”: anything you want goes on the list for thirty days before you buy it.
- Saving towards replacements, such as the next fridge, before the old one dies, so a payment plan is not the only option.
- Having an honest friend or small group you can tell when spending is getting out of hand.
These are small, even mundane, steps. That is the point. Temptation often walks in through small doors, so small doors are where we stand guard.
Covered, not condemned
If you are reading this with a pile of payment slips beside you, the story of Genesis 3 matters. God’s first act towards the ashamed was not to lecture them but to cover them. Putting on Christ begins with being covered by His grace, not with getting everything right.
From there, the practical work can start: listing what is owed, talking honestly with your household, seeking reputable advice about repayment, and closing the doors one by one. It may take time. But a house where debt has been walking freely can become, again, a house where there is peace at the kitchen table.
For reflection
- What small “provisions” have I made that make it easier to spend what I do not have?
- Which one door could I close this week?
Lord Jesus, I put You on today. Cover my shame, and clothe me with Your wisdom and self-control. Show me the small doors I have left open, and give me the courage to close them. Bring peace to our home and our finances, and make us generous with what You provide. Amen.
This article is general information only and is not financial, legal, tax or other professional advice. Please speak to a qualified professional about your own circumstances.
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