Proverbs 22:26
“Don’t you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.”
What does Proverbs 22:26 mean?
This is practical wisdom about financial entanglement. When you guarantee someone else's debt by shaking hands on it (a binding gesture in that culture), you're on the hook if they can't pay. You're essentially lending your credibility and resources to cover their obligations, even if circumstances beyond your control make repayment impossible. The advice isn't that you should never help anyone, but rather that casually co-signing for loans or making verbal financial promises is a way to lose control of your own stability. Sometimes the kindest thing is to say no to someone you care about, rather than risk financial ruin that would leave you unable to help anyone at all.