Romans 13: 8 - Owe no man anything but love...
There are people that are more comfortable as debtors than others. In my nuclear family (as with most families, I suspect), we have a mix of both. However the majority of us are what I like to think of as uncomfortable debtors.
Now, this is not me directly or indirectly judging anyone who is a more comfortable debtor than I am. I realize this is one of the things that define me - 'cut your coat according to cloth' that is how some of us are wired. So, the way I see it is that if I get sleepless nights because I am in debt, it would stand to reason that at the nearest opportunity I'd get myself out of debt while ensuring I don't repeat the cycle (often, if at all).
This bible passage crossed my mind recently and I couldn't help but wonder 'why love?'.
Why not money?
Or respect?
Or clothes?
Or forgiveness?
Or (fill in the blank)?
I don't have the answer to that question as yet but on thinking a little bit more on the verse, it made a lot of sense that love is the one thing that cannot be (re)paid in full. Nobody, no matter how rich (or poor) they are, can claim to have loved fully all those they ought to love in the way they wanted to be loved?
I'm reminded of the rich young man in the bible who came to Jesus asking what he needed to do to make eternal life? He had fulfilled all righteousness but he did it from a place of comfort. It didn't cost him enough - at least not by Jesus' standard. Jesus had told him to go sell ALL his riches and then come "follow me". That's expecting a lot - but not more than the Savior was willing to give. It required love for the young man to do what Jesus asked.
It requires love for us to do the same - love doesn't operate from a place of comfort, or rightness, or superiority, or pride, or unforgiveness....
That's the point, love is expensive. It is exhausting from a human point of view to love everybody (even my enemies! seriously?) and all the time too. But it is not unachievable. And by reading through verses 7 to 10 it becomes clearer what the mind of God is.
In essence, even if you are in the category of people that are uncomfortable debtors, you couldn't pay off your love debt if you tried. We could not love too much in this world! All we can do is love a little more each day.
That's my interpretation (albeit limited). I'd like to hear yours too.
