Day 23 · Fair dealing
Delayed payment is borrowed power.
The person who controls payment also controls someone else’s waiting. A routine delay can become rent, interest, anxiety, or a missed meal for the person with less cushion.
The source
Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
Leviticus 19:13 · King James Version
The thought
Justice includes timing. Credit given late and money paid late force another person to finance our convenience. Promptness is not administrative polish; it is a way of refusing to transfer uncertainty downhill.
A task for today
Pay, approve, reimburse, answer, or credit one person sooner than your convenience requires.
Sources
Leviticus 19:13 · Seneca, On Benefits 2 — a gift or obligation loses grace when delay becomes domination · Wage-and-hour protections — earned compensation belongs to the worker · Islamic teaching on prompt wages — do not make the worker wait for what is due
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