“I deserve it.”
This provocative whisper quietly (or maybe not so quietly) captivates our soul.
We look what others have, how hard we’ve worked, and we tell ourselves that we are entitled to this reward. We’ve earned this break. We’re deserving of this indulgence.
We compare our sacrifice to what seems to come easy to those around us and we think we’re owed this short departure of doing what we ought to for others in order to do what we desire for ourselves.
As Loreal would say, we’re worth it.
The only challenge is that God says something different.
Romans 8:12 explicitly tells us that, yes, we are in debt – but not to ourselves. The balance due is not in our favor. As Paul makes clear later in Romans, what’s due is to continuously show love to others. Not because they necessarily deserve it, but because we are servants of Christ. He has already covered the greatest debt, taking on the penalty of sin so that if we repent and put our faith in Him we may have a right relationship with our Creator and Lord. He asks us to serve Him by serving others, to bestow the love He has poured out on us to those He puts in our life (Gal. 5:13-14). Not to “repay” what He has done for us (that would be impossible to do) but as a act of thankfulness for all He has given on our behalf.
May we therefore be propelled to live increasingly according to His Spirit. May His whispers of love overcome the shouts of self-service. May we continually seek to keep the debt of love outstanding – not to our own benefit – but in order to demonstrate His kindness to those we know.