“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

“Uh-Oh… I know… I owe!” The words were as much an admission of guilt as they were an apology. It didn’t matter that it was an accident. Time had passed… I SHOULD have KNOWN. So there I was yesterday, calling a man who owns a company and who is also a Christian friend of mine. The conversation started with those words! Yes… I owed him money. But I owed him more than that!

Last month my credit card was declined at 4 locations. It was a sign that I needed to contact them, the burden being on ME. I had tried to purchase something their computers saw as ‘fishy,’ so until I cleared that up, my card was useless. Ultimately, we discovered a scammer had tried to use my card & reputation. A new card was issued. But it was MY job to notify my creditors of my new card info.

I honestly thought I had called all of them. But I kept getting phone calls from an unknown number… and didn’t answer. It’s been about a month, and it finally hit me. Our Gym membership must have been on that card! DUH! So I called my friend, apologized, and gave him my new information. At the exact same time, a lil demon showed up to turn the tables on me, hinting, ‘you don’t owe him that!’

We pay for gym time, which means we receive regular hits to our card… whether we show up or not! 3 years ago we made a commitment… “we want to join your gym” (I didn’t really) “and agree to your terms.” That demon thought followed with something like this… ‘well you didn’t REALLY use that gym THAT much… remember vacations and sick time off?’ Giving him the card # QUICKER, I hung up!

I’m smart and spiritually minded enough to know when a thought is foreign. I learned that as a kid. I once stole some bubble gum from a store that, later in the night, HORRIBLY ended up in my hair and all over my bed! I don’t steal! That little demon was recognized as foreign and quickly dismissed. But God! Thinking about thievery, I began to realize… I AM a THIEF! And I STEAL and OWE DAILY!

I pay my taxes and my debts because it’s the honorable thing to do! But The Spirit moved into that vacated demon spot and whispered… “What about Respect and Honor? How are you doing in THOSE departments!”  Suddenly I realized I had been WAY too quick to pat myself on the back! Because I’ve been stealing honor and respect from people… who may not even know they’ve been robbed!

Romans 13:10 goes on to say, ‘Love is the fulfillment of the Law.’ It doesn’t take a behavioral therapist for me to realize I’ve been holding back in some areas! So today I am being led to roll up my sleeves, put on my ‘Love Gloves,’ and get to work on doing better in that area because… I.O. GOD, AND all the people He created… some LOVE! What, how much, and to whom do YOU OWE?