“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11)
Growing Dominion, Part 67
“He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure” (Prov. 11:15).
The book of Proverbs is filled with hard-headed business advice, and here we have a fine sample. A man who co-signs a note for a stranger is just asking to be whacked good and hard. And a man who hates the idea of co-signing is standing in a safe place. Way to go, says the wise man.
The principle here has to do with strangers. A shrewd biblical businessman does not extend his hand farther than he can draw it back. He does not risk more than he is willing to lose. And if he co-signs for a stranger, he is violating the principle. The principle is therefore one of judicial suspicion. With this said, we have to keep in mind that undue caution is also a risky way to proceed. Some businessmen are so cautious about the possibility of failure that by their caution they ensure failure.
So what does judicial suspicion mean? When someone interviews for a job, you should call his references. And when you call his references, you are saying (judicially) that you don’t trust him. And he should not be at all offended that you do not trust him. The world is full of hustlers and he might be one of them. And if he does take offense that you called his references, instead of just taking his word, this is a good reason not to take his word about anything else. Honest people go into new situations knowing and appreciating the fact that the honest people they are approaching have a duty to be judicially suspicious. So if someone asks you to risk your assets for their sake, and they are a stranger, the book of Proverbs is clear enough.