Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Romans 13:7
Takeaway
Paul is telling us that obligation isn't optional — it's a debt. You owe taxes to Caesar. You owe respect to those in authority. You owe honor to those who've earned it. This isn't about what feels good or what you think is fair. It's about living as someone who pays what is owed, because unpaid debts corrode your soul and your witness. God cares about your integrity in the small, grudging things.
Application
Today, identify one person or institution you've been avoiding or resenting — a creditor, a boss, an authority figure, a family member. What do you actually owe them? Respect? Honesty? A difficult conversation? A payment? Do one thing today to pay that debt, even if it's small, even if it feels unfair.
