Unlimited: Give What You Owe
Sep 6, 2023 376
Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor (Romans 13:7).
What Paul is really writing about is the issue of living with integrity. The notion of integrity isn’t some mysterious individual and internal quality. Integrity fundamentally has to do with your relationships and with how much, and how, you give to others.
We tend to think of giving in material terms, but Paul highlights that non-material giving is just as important as the material things we give. That’s why he can refer to both taxes and respect as examples of things we should give, specifically to the government authorities that God has set over us.
The two greatest things that we can give to others are love and honesty.
In our relationships with others, when we give to others what we owe them, then we are living with integrity. The two greatest things that we can give to others are love and honesty. Transparency and honesty will always be present in a relationship that is based on love.
As children of God, these are all things that we owe to those around us. Paul owes a debt of love, to preach the Gospel to all (Rom. 1:15.) Integrity means not living indebted to anyone. And it also means understanding and practicing the principle of giving. Those who follow Jesus will not be miserly and tight: not with their money, and not with their love and their kindness.
Spiritual Application
What debts do you owe that you still need to repay? I’m not referring to money.
Graise manusalo
Sep 7, 2023
Thank you very much