Predatory Lenders,

Every day as I drive my kids to school, we pass a title loan place, a payday loan place, and a Rent-A-Center.  We pass billboards, buses, and bus stops advertising fast cash.

At first, this only saddened me.  I’m still sad, but instead of harboring anger at the blight creeping into my neighborhood, I use it as a learning tool.

My kids now know about loans and interest rates.  They know about good debt and bad debt.  They understand what a credit is and when and how to use it.  They also know the difference between desperate circumstances and frivolous choices, between want and need.

My kids understand that the difference between “us” and “them” is imaginary, and they are learning to be grateful for their blessed life circumstances.  My kids now look forward to giving back, and they pray each night that everyone will be similarly blessed.

So thank you, predatory lenders, for helping me teach my children.  You are free to go.

Awaiting your departure,