What Do I Owe You?

Daily Reading: Romans 12-13

Scripture Focus: Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13.8)

Devotional Thought: Romans 12-13, are very practical chapters. If you want "something to work on" in your spiritual life, concentrate on these two chapters for a week or two - or 52! One of the pressing questions answered in these chapters is, "Just what do I owe my neighbor?"

In today's entitlement society, some would have us believe that we owe them money. In today's tolerant society, some would say that we owe them acceptance of their chosen lifestyle. In today's pluralistic society, some would insist that all cultures are equal. But, what does the Bible say in Romans 13? What do I owe you? What do you owe me?

Love.

Love covers over a multitude of debts, doesn't it?

• If you love me, you will be generous and helpful in your approach to me. That doesn't mean you will give me money, for that may be the worst thing you could do.

• If you love me, you will be understanding and forgiving of my shortcomings. It doesn't mean that you want me to continue to believe the lies of Satan, but that you will love me and shine the light of God's truth on a better way, the way of life.

• If you love me, you will seek to help me find Jesus within my culture, but you will not let my culture keep me from hearing the truth about sin and salvation.

There is a perfect law, the law of liberty. It is the law of love.

Prayer: Father, help me to love you with all of my heart and soul and to love my neighbor as myself. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 21.8-13

8 Your hand will find out all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you. 9 You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them. 10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth, and their offspring from among the children of man. 11 Though they plan evil against you, though they devise mischief, they will not succeed. 12 For you will put them to flight; you will aim at their faces with your bows.

13 Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.