Love: our only debt
"Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law" (NKJV) Romans 13:8
“…I was thinking about people, and you came to mind, so I called to check on you…” Tears almost dropped when I received those words early in the morning from one Professor friend of mine. It was an ordinary day; it wasn’t Christmas, or New Year or Easter or Valentine’s Day. After the call, I felt excited, not because of the person who called, but because someone, who had no obligation towards me had thought about me and had called me. That was awesome. I still remember that day, and the exact conversation, although very short. During the day, I felt really good and I even told a couple of friends about the call. Now, if that wasn’t a demonstration of love, I’m wondering what else it would be.
Love is a beautiful virtue – sourced from God. I agree so well with the quote: “All sound thinking about love begins with God” (Larry Deason). God is love, and he who comes to Him must also love. Love pursues righteousness, goodness and abhors sin. As Christians, it is not only a command for us to love one another but also a debt to us. That’s what Paul teaches when he wrote: “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Rom. 13:8). This means our only debt should be loving one another. Practically, Paul is saying that we start each day with a heap of ‘love debt’, and our total love debt is measured by the number of “one another” or other people we know. That looks like a gargantuan debt, isn’t it?
Then let’s start paying our debt; when you owe, the only solution is that, pay! So, thinking about it, who do you owe? What do you owe? Is it that phone call, or that visit that is long overdue? Is yours that radiating smile, or the wholesome hug, or the positive handshake you need to extend to someone? Is yours that piece of advice, encouragement, or correction somebody needs from you? Is yours that person you need to support financially or that favour you need to give to someone? Whatever it is, once it is good, and not sinful, just pay it! Pay it today, because tomorrow, there will be much more love debt to pay.
Dear friend, God has called us to emulate His character, love. He thought about us and loved us so much by offering His Son to die for us. This is infinite and unconditional love. We are to show the same to “one another”, and that’s our debt each day we wake up. Come on, let us go out there and pay our love debt for today. May God fills our heart, so we can pay this debt always. Amen.