I’m the type of person that really hates to owe anyone anything. I would rather hold off on a personal ‘treat’ than to have a debt hanging over my head. Maybe you aren’t that way but in the back of your mind, until you do acquit your obligation, it will ‘haunt’ you. But have you ever found yourself in a position that there is no way you can ever repay? How do you respond to those people when you are in their presence? Guilt? Anger? Frustration? Embarrassment….? Gratitude? And I’m not merely talking about financial obligations.
How you respond to your responsibilities is one of the dimensions that identifies your character. Even more telling is how you respond to the other person until you have discharged your debt… and, how you continue to react to them. Our words and actions can give mixed messages, whether or not we acknowledge the debt and set about to fulfill the obligation we have. However, equally important is how we treat other people when they owe us. Do we expect ‘favors’ from them? Do we treat them less favorably? All this also is a dimension of character.
You do realize, don’t you, that God, Jesus owe you absolutely nothing. You are the debtor, you are the one who owes everything to them. So, how do you interact with God? Fearfully? Stoically? With bravado? With gratitude? Avoiding…. Actually there are a variety of ways to react which underscores our interactions. How do you act as a debtor? Probably with a bit of discomfort but don’t ‘punish’ God or the other person because you owe.
As long as we continue to interact with the Lord and acknowledge who we are and who He is, then we are ‘righteous’ in His eyes. When we sin – do we run to Him for forgiveness? When there is success, do we give Him the glory? Eventually, we all must come to that point and acknowledge that we will always be the debtor but that it’s acceptable to the Lord – He knows. He only wants for our good. Will you, do you receive it knowing that you don’t deserve it/you can’t earn it… but it is for you?
