8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. Romans 13:8-10 (NLT)
Do no harm. That’s what I think when I hear these verses. What does that mean exactly? If I don’t steal, murder, cheat on my spouse, is that enough? I don’t think so.
When it says love does no wrong to others, it doesn’t mean doing the right thing to the people I love. It means truly loving, beyond my circle. It means doing no harm to anyone. Because God’s love casts a much wider net than my love does.
So, when I think that snarky comment about someone I just met, I need to squash it and not say it out loud. It means when I am about to comment to someone about their friend that I don’t know, I need to zip it. It means when I am asked my opinion, I need to be quiet until I’ve prayed and can offer an opinion that builds up and does not tear down.
God is still growing me in these areas. I am not good at it. But, if I keep talking to him and asking him for help, he will be faithful to continue to change me. He will keep working on me until one day, by his grace I will lean more in that direction than in the direction of my human tendencies.
That’s a promise he gives me that I hold onto.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6