Only Love

"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." Rom 13:8 (ESV)

"You owe me...." Have you ever heard that phrase or have you been known to say those words either in a teasing manner or in all seriousness to someone after doing something for them? I said it to a friend the other day in a joking manner, but the more I thought about it, the more I was thinking that it wasn't right. I should do something kind for someone because of that second part of the verse about love, and in so doing I have fulfilled the law and what Jesus said about love. (Love God and Love People paraphrase). It is a strong statement to owe no one anything but Love. At face value I took this to refer to money b/c other translations of this verse talk about debt and that usually means money. But one thing I realized is that you can owe someone other things besides money. For example, you can owe them guilt, pressure, obligation, condemnation and the list goes on. Not only are we not to owe others money, but the reverse is true in that we also do not owe them our guilt or shame or blame or even our failures. Do you know this is freeing for someone that is a people pleaser? You can do things for someone because you love them and that way you are fulfilling the law, but if you do something for someone because you feel obligated to, then you are not really doing what the Bible says. A good measure you can use to determine if you are feeling like you have to is whether or not you feel pressure to do something for someone. It could even be external pressure from someone besides internal pressure from yourself. If you do, that may be a very good reason you are doing something for maybe a wrong motive or not in love, BUT if you have genuine peace and joy when you make a gesture, then you probably feel freedom and that you are doing it out of love. Just remember, keeping out of debt is a good thing, especially a debt of obligation.