The Love Debt

There he was again. I saw him moving up quickly in my rearview mirror. A tail rider.

People who ride my bumper set me on edge. I know the law of stopping and speed. One car length for every ten miles per hour I’m traveling, but some people don’t honor it.

Riding me on a bad day may produce more than the jitters. My mind formulates forms of sign language to share when they finally go around. As they pass me, I distribute the sign language then realize I know them and what’s worse they know me-as a pastor, teacher, deacon, elder, school teacher, community leader, or whatever I am. Too late now, the damage is done. (By the way, I didn’t really do this, but like everyone else, I’m capable of it.)

Who said loving people was an easy debt to pay, but we’re required to: Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:8)

Debt is taxing no matter how much we earn. Thirty year house mortgages, seven year car loans, “until I die” credit card payments. “I owe I owe so off to work I go” classifies most of us. But loving God, ourselves, and others are not debts we should try and settle. Like other liabilities we struggle with, love payments can be difficult. We’d rather use the money for something else, and sometimes we just don’t feel like making an installment at all.

Experiencing and understanding God’s love helps us love everyone regardless of whether we feel like it. And it fulfills God’s law. Let God give you a heart for others.

Prayer: All powerful God, enable us to love even the most difficult people.

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