Except love (35)

Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don’t sleep with another person’s spouse, don’t take someone’s life, don’t take what isn’t yours, don’t always be wanting what you don’t have, and any other “don’t” you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can’t go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love. Romans 13:8-10, The Message bible.

I'm usually good at following rules. Logic appeals to me because it makes sense. So when Paul says all of the law rests on my ability to love others, I am afraid. I am scared that I see too many holes in that line of thought. 'How can you show love when you're running on empty? ' 'Isn't it good enough that I don't kill, steal, commit adultery?' 'How can I love them when they hurt me so bad?' 

It's much easier to be nice and cordial than to delve into the depths of love. Now I know that I'm expected to go beyond niceness. I can't feign ignorance of Paul's words. Paul expects that we should love and the law's requirements would be a by-product. The law is the bare mininum that we can achieve. I should be aiming higher. 

I have not been the most patient of people in the last few days. Yet love is patient and kind. I haven't broken any laws. I haven't shown much love though. Maybe tomorrow will be better. I will be better tomorrow.