Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

‭‭I run across many people these days who bemoan the coming troubling times and are gearing up for a battle. I do believe fighting for truth and justice is a noble cause. But this is not the full extent to which our energy is to be spent as Christians. We need to set aside the debts outstanding to us from our brothers, and realize that we owe an allegiance to our Savior — a debt of love. We owe this debt to those who love us back and to those who hate us and torment us too. Jesus loved both. He died for both.

When we see our salvation as near and the world around us becoming increasingly evil at a rapid pace, the most effective weapon is love! “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭43‬-‭45‬a, Jesus speaking) So I am called to set aside my grievances and love my enemy. Instead of fighting the deeds of darkness with similar deeds, we get to fight them with the armor of light. And the brilliance of this love shines into a dark world and transforms the cold hearts of those who God calls into hearts receptive to Jesus and his ways.

Lord, may I fight with love and the armor of light today! It is more fun to see you work in amazing ways, than to see the mess I make in trying to pay others back for their sins. Teach me to humbly love and leave the vengeance and payback to you.