Owing only Love

What does it mean that we are to owe only love to our neighbors? Paul - in Romans 13 after coming off how we are to submit to ruling authorities - makes it clear that we are to owe nothing to anyone, except to love them. This is easy to read - easy to get an understanding of what Paul means, but difficult to live out. So what does it mean to owe only love?

How many of you feel like you owe something to someone?

You parents, feeling like you owe your kids better opportunities than you had as a kid? Or Foster parents or adoptive parents, feeling like you owe your kid the life they were never going to get, but now do get because they are with you.

Teachers or administrators, owing your students or staff the gift of thoughtful teaching, or better systems and leadership. 

Doctors or nurses or medical staff, owing your patience the answers to their ailments, treatments, and a clean bill of health.

Stay-at-home moms, owing your husband and kids a clean house, three square meals, clean and folded laundry, vacuumed floors, changed diapers, manicure lawns, well trained pets, and and all the crazy long list of things that are going to make a house and family operate outside of just making money.

You can fill in the blank wherever you are in life and whomever you are interacting with in any given moment and probably find a way that you feel like you “owe” something to them.

But the Bible is clear: “owe nothing to anyone except to love one another.”

What you actually owe your kids is to leave a legacy of love. What you actually owe your co-workers is to love them well while you work on the next project. What you actually owe your husband or wife is to love them.