So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.  Romans 8:12

The giving of a gift can communicate different things. It might say, ‘I love you.’ Oh, but it can just as easily convey, “Now, you owe me!’ It comes with expectations for something you should give in return. I’m sure you’ve received both kinds. I have.

It’s tricky, isn’t it? I’ve had people tell me that they receive far more gifts with strings attached than they do gifts that are freely given. Feeling indebted to people we can’t fully trust is a heavy burden. How some people expect to be repaid can be right out expensive. Perhaps you’ve stayed in a toxic relationship just because of guilt!

Live this way long enough and distrust rules our heart. Because if I’ve been accustomed to getting gifts with strings attached, I won’t be able to accept free gifts without thinking I surely owe something.

Can being a debtor be a good thing?  Yes, as long as it’s with Jesus. He is my Savior, He gives without strings, and then invites me to give back my life, not out of guilt but out of gratitude. What cures sterile Christian service that feels obligatory? What cures resentment over feeling over tired and over committed? Falling in love with the Giver. He is incapable of manipulating and using me to get His needs met. Once I understand that, I am free to listen closely and clear a good part of my calendar!

I am safe to love You with my life, Jesus. Amen