a continuing debt

lately my mind has been exploding with thoughts of school and the future and what I should do or shouldn't do and if all the money to pay for school is really worth it. I recently thought of the verse where Jesus says that we should "let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. the commandments, 'do not commit adultery,''do not murder,' 'do not steal,' 'do not covet,' and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'love your neighbor as yourself." love does no harm to its neighbor. therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

I have been thinking about outstanding debt, and wondering if college is included in that debt. but outside from that thought, I have recently begun thinking about this CONTINUING DEBT to love one another. a debt that never ends. that is a pretty big deal. so if we're talking about debt here, what we're saying (or Jesus, rather) is that we have this thing that has already been given to us, or possibly that we're already taken, and it is our duty to pay it back.

instead of trying to make up a definition of debt, I decided to look one up, too. I found that debt means "something, typically money, that is owed or due." okay, pretty normal. but then, also, there is another definition, which is this: "a feeling of gratitude for a service or favor." hmmmm...very interesting!

right before this passage, Jesus is talking about how we should "give everyone what you owe him," which is interesting, because Jesus doesn't say that we shouldn't have ANY debt, just that it shouldn't remain outstanding, but that we should always remain in outstanding debt to one another in LOVE. I just think it is so great how Jesus emphasizes the fact that we should always be bound to one another in love. this seems simple. but as I've been reminded recently since reading Brida, by Paulo Coelho, the simple things are the most hard things to achieve. it seems that being in a love debt to one another would be easy to pay off--and it would solve so many problems! if only we all loved we wouldn't have anyone cheating on each other or killing each other or stealing from each other or hoarding their crap, but the problem is, loving each other is the hardest thing. it is hard to continue to love people when they hurt you or hate you or drop bombs on you. it is hard to love people who are so bad at loving other people. it is sometimes just hard to love people who are annoying. if it were easy to love one another, this world would be heaven. and it is, sometimes, but a lot of the time it's not. a lot of the time love just feels so broken and impossible.

anyways. this was a very long tangent, fueled by built up brainstuff and a cup of coffee. if you read it all, I give you mad props. I just hope I can remember, when I start freaking out about college debt, the only outstanding debt I am asked to pay.