Nothing but love
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
(Romans 13:8, NKJV)
Let us for a moment think of our relationships as a balance sheet, where we make deposits and withdrawals. This is a business terminology but well applicable in our daily interactions, especially with those that are close to us. For example, when we do something that we know they like or help them with a need, we are making a deposit into the relationship account, conversely when we are down and they console us, then we are making a withdrawal. In each transaction, there is one who is depositing while the other withdraws. Stable relationships are those where both parties make frequent deposits into each other’s lives including emotional deposits. Just like in a bank, one can only withdraw what they have deposited, failure to which if a withdrawal is desired, an overdraft with terms and conditions including an expectation of repayment is made. With this illustration, maybe it is time to review our respective relationship balance sheets. Thankfully, we can always improve on the deposits.
Our reference verse uses the word ‘owe’, meaning we could be in debt of different things in life, yet it emphasizes that the only thing we perpetually owe is love. In this case, love is currency, one whose debt can never be fully repaid for with each moment, we are to continue to love. Reflecting on this, I noted that there are individuals that we owe other things, for example, an apology, a grudge, forgiveness etc. In my view these are debts that as human beings we carry, at times unaware until the Holy Spirit of God reveals them to us. Our call today is to hold nothing but love and that should be what we are focused to do. Brethren, if we owe anyone other emotions than love, we will not be free to serve and love them. It is an issue of our hearts coming in the way, yet we are told to not grow weary of doing good (2 Thessalonians 3:13). We can not sincerely do good to someone whom we have a grudge with, the Holy Spirit who searches the hearts of men will convict us. Others might not realize that our intentions are not pure but our hearts will not give us rest. This is where we fool men but not God, He who knows how deceitful our hearts can be. God tells us that our ways are not His ways (55:8-9). His ways are higher and so we cannot rest on our perceived right ways of interacting with others. God calls us to His ways in being holy for He is a holy God (1 Peter 1:16). We are being invited to come up higher to His ways and we can only do this by living in love, for God Himself is love (1 John 4:7-12). We are to love as we are born of God and He empowers us to bear His character of love. Brethren, this challenges me as I look at my struggles to love and I guess it challenges you too. We are not to lose hope, we are to ask God to make us more like Him each day. David in recognizing his shortcomings asked the Lord to create in him a clean heart and a new spirit (Psalm 51:10). This is a prayer that I ask of the Lord, for by myself, I will carry debts towards others, debts that I do not have the strength to carry or fulfill. God’s love is unconditional and so in keeping with being more like Jesus, may we offer unconditional love to others. I pray that by the mercies of God, we may be known not only as lovers of God but also lovers of His people.
Thoughts:
How is your relationship balance sheet?
Who do you struggle to love?
What do you need to do to love like God our Father loves?