Recently we have had some expenditures that aren’t part of the monthly budget. We have saved to make sure the things we want don’t encumber our monthly living expenses. It can be a challenge to stay on budget.
I don’t know if you’ve ever had to create a balance sheet. Maybe you’ve applied for a bank loan or were starting a business. If so, you had to sit down and diligently list everything you owned and everyone you owed. It can be a bit overwhelming to see those two columns staring back at you in black and white.
While reading Romans I came across the Apostle Paul’s balance sheet and found that he was a man with a heavy debt.
“ I am a debtor both to Greeks and barbarians, both to wise and unintelligent: 15 so, as far as depends on me, am I ready to announce the glad tidings to you also who [are] in Rome.” Romans 1:13-14 DARBY
Paul said he had placed himself in debt to share the message of Christ with the non-Jewish world. Christ had enlisted him to serve, without renumeration, the citizens of Rome, Greece, and the islands of the seas.
I, for one, am extremely grateful that he did!
He followed the example of Christ who said freely you have received freely give.
Jesus said the same thing when He said that we should love the Lord, our God, first and foremost and then love others as much as we love ourselves.
Working on removing debt from our lives is an admiral and honorable thing but there should always be one debt that stays, the debt to love.
“You should owe nothing to anyone, except that you will always owe love to each other. The person who loves others has done all that the law commands. 9 The law says, ‘You must not commit adultery, you must not murder anyone, you must not steal, you must not want what belongs to someone else.’ All these commands and all other commands are really only one rule: ‘Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.’ 10 Love doesn’t hurt others. So loving is the same as obeying all the law.” Romans 13:8-10 CEV
He said we should be indebted to LOVE. Love balances on both sides of the spread sheet. It is an asset of the highest order but it is also a debt, although, not a liability.
Who in your life needs your love today? Your spouse, your children, grandchildren, your parents, co-workers, friends, casual acquaintances or a stranger on the street?
Look for opportunities to go into debt today, it will make your life richer!