I Owe You Love
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
The [Ten] Commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.
Romans 13: 8-10
The [Ten] Commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.
Romans 13: 8-10
Love is a word that is thrown around so much that it has almost lost its true meaning.The current state of the world is one in which genuine care and love for one another is almost non-existent in the true sense of the world. We live in suspicion of one another, and even an act of kindness shown to us by someone raises questions in our minds. We wonder if people act kindly toward us because they have ulterior motives! Loving people just for the sake of pure love, care and concern is almost a thing of the past.
I recently had a church member move to a big city for studies and one of the first things she mentioned was that everyone seemed to mind their own business. She said, people just neglect her when she tries to say "hi" as she walks on her way to school. Just caring for and showing some love, even through our words, is almost becoming extinct.
But in the midst of the changing culture, the word of God remains unchanging. The Bible tells us to love our neighbor as yourself. As disciples of Jesus Christ, the words of our Lord should undergird all we do: "A new command I give you: Love one another. . . . By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35).
So what is love?
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others [is not rude], it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
. . . And now these three things remain: Faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (I Corinthians 13:4-8;13).
The Bible also reminds us that true love for God finds expression in practical acts of love toward our fellow human beings. This is the testimony of Scripture: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." I John 3:16-18 So, I owe you love and you owe me love!
I recently had a church member move to a big city for studies and one of the first things she mentioned was that everyone seemed to mind their own business. She said, people just neglect her when she tries to say "hi" as she walks on her way to school. Just caring for and showing some love, even through our words, is almost becoming extinct.
But in the midst of the changing culture, the word of God remains unchanging. The Bible tells us to love our neighbor as yourself. As disciples of Jesus Christ, the words of our Lord should undergird all we do: "A new command I give you: Love one another. . . . By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35).
So what is love?
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others [is not rude], it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
. . . And now these three things remain: Faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (I Corinthians 13:4-8;13).
The Bible also reminds us that true love for God finds expression in practical acts of love toward our fellow human beings. This is the testimony of Scripture: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." I John 3:16-18 So, I owe you love and you owe me love!
Prayer: Lord, please help me to live as your genuine disciple by the way I love. Amen.